Embracing dark desires
by Dr Facer
Summary: Set after Wildstorm's miniseries The Return. Mumm-Ra was defeated and now all seems to be well for the Thundercats, except for WilyKit and WilyKat who seem to be very disappointed with the current turn of events...
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Thundercats and all related character don't belong to me.

Note:

This story takes place in an Alternate Universe set immediately after the end of 'The Return' miniseries published by Wildstorm comics.

Embracing dark desires.

By

Dr Facer

Chapter 1

Everything was right and the future promised to be brilliant. Why shouldn't it be? After all, they had won; the Thundercats had won! Mumm-Ra was defeated. His rule was destroyed forever, destined to be only a sad memory in the history of New Thundera. The thousands of refugees working in the mines and the fields and the industrial complexes would be set free and the proud Thunderians would re-emerge from the ashes under the rule of Lion-O. The future promised to be brilliant and full of joy indeed.

Then why did she feel like it was all a monumental joke? Like everything was a farce which she would regret taking part in very soon? Was it because she could not believe they would be able to do it, even if she had hoped with all her heart they could? Or because she would soon have to face the people she had seen oppressed for years without doing anything to help them?

The young female could not stop herself from trembling a little. Yes, that was the reason. She would soon be judged by her fellow Thunderians and she had to admit, at least to herself, that the thought terrified her. Hiding her face behind her crossed arms, she sighed again and pressed her body against the vehicle's walls. The transport Panthro had repaired would soon arrive at the ruins of the destroyed Cat's Lair.

"Hey, are you alright?"

She felt a soft, warm hand close over her nude shoulder and she suddenly remembered that she was still wearing her concubine outfit. The soft, warm hand of Lion-O gave her a friendly squeeze, obviously trying to transmit some comfort to her. Instead it made her feel sick and she recoiled from his touch. His hand on her shoulder just felt _wrong_. She realized that she didn't want to be touched by him ever again.

"What is it?" the lord of the Thundercats asked, retrieving his hand. Concern was now audible in his voice. "Are you hurt? Did Mumm-Ra do something to you before we…?"

WilyKit trembled when she heard that name. No, of course Mumm-Ra didn't do anything! He had only just killed her brother! She felt like yelling at him for being so stupid! How could he not know? But no, she couldn't do that, he was the Lord and she had made her choice to help him and the other Thundercats. She had to obey and respect him now, something she was not really looking forward to doing.

"I'm sorry for your loss, your brother was…" Lion-O left the sentence incomplete and retreated, unsure of what else to say. After a moment of silence under WilyKit's cold stare he just went back to sit in the front with Snarf, Pantrho and Cheetara.

WilyKit bit her lower lip in frustration, what was her brother to Lion-O, a traitor or a victim? What? She wasn't sure if she wanted to know; besides, she still remembered the way the other Thundercats didn't even try very hard to save him, and even then she had chosen their side. They should be grateful for that but it seemed they were taking her for granted! Could they be any more stupid? Suddenly, WilyKit realized that under his green hood, Tygra was looking at her. She was grateful when he decided to keep his mouth shut.

Somewhere else, a young man stood in what used to be the control room inside the giant head of the Cat's Lair. Now it was nothing save a ruined remnant of a previous age, but he knew that would soon change, since he was sure Lion-O wouldn't rest until it had been rebuilt. Mumm-Ra had brought him here occasionally; the wizard took pleasure in telling him and his sister how the code had failed. How the code was nothing but lies. He remembered very clearly the first time the ancient mummy did that…

"_Here we are, Kittens!" Mumm-Ra exclaimed as he entered the ruined Cat's Lair. WilyKat and WilyKit stood behind him. The kittens where still little more than children at this point, but they already wore the white and golden attire which marked them as Mumm-Ra's personal servants, "It's been three months since you last were here, how does it feel to be back for a short visit?"_

"_It feels…" Kat started, but Mumm-ra's gaze on him promptly shut him up._

_The mummy laughed, "Go on my boy, talk! I won't hurt you! I've never hurt you since you entered my care, have I?"_

_WilyKat lowered his face. It hurt him to admit it, but it was true. These past few months, contrary to all he had expected, Mumm-Ra had never hit him or his sister. Other than the task of helping the living corpse bathe and bandage afterwards and also clean his chambers, they had not been abused at all._

"_Well?" the ever-living being asked. "Are you going to stand silently there all day? Talk to your master, boy!"_

_Kat swallowed, "I… hate to see what they did to it."_

"_Who?" The mummy asked. _

"_The mutants," Kat replied. "We were alone here when they attacked. The others were out fighting with you and…" The boy shut his mouth, thinking he had said too much and fearing for his safety now. Had he angered the mummy?_

"_You were not strong enough to protect it," Mumm-Ra declared. "And you were alone. You were alone, with no leader guiding you. It's your leader's fault, not yours."_

"_Lion-O was inside the Book of Omens. He still is," WilyKit said then, if with a low trembling voice, she now feared the mummy too much to dare scream at him. "He didn't know what happened then, and he doesn't know what's happening now…he…"_

_The mummy laughed hard. "But the fact is that he abandoned you all! He should have stayed here! He was selfish enough to forget his duty to you!"_

"_He…he didn't do that..." It was now Kat's turn to murmur his disagreement, "That would be breaking the code and he would never do that, not Lion-O…"_

"_Oh yes, your precious little code. I almost forget about it." Once again, the mummy laughed. "Can you recite it to me, girl?"_

_Kit stood taller and did as she was told. "Truth, honor, loyalty and justice."_

"_I see you still remember it." Mumm-Ra observed. "Which is a shame, since by entering that book, Lion-O broke every word of the code! Is it worth believing something that all the adult Thundercats and even your own, so-called lord, can break so easily?" _

"_They didn't…" Kit started_

"_Oh, but they did!" The blue skinned ever-living one interrupted, "Let me tell you about truth first! Was he really going into the book of omens to prepare for his role as the king of New Thundera? What if he only wanted to be away from you all for an undetermined period of time? Wouldn't that be lying to all of you? What about the other Thundercats? Didn't they swear to protect you? And what did they do once they were defeated? Fight to the death for your freedom and safety? No! They chose to be thrown to the mines and gave you to me, their greatest enemy! But have I treated you like an enemy? Of course not! Under my protection, you two have been safe. I told you that as soon as you entered my service and I believe I've kept my word. Not like the other Thundercats, who were more interested in saving their lives than preserving yours!"_

_The kittens didn't have an answer to that. After being abandoned in the hands of Mumm-Ra they had feared the worst, but they had received a relatively easy life instead. Both had to admit that Mumm-Ra hadn't lied to them on that matter._

"_What about honor?" The mummy continued. "Where's Lion-O's honor when he chose to abandon you for his own selfish gain? Where was the honor of the other Thundercats when they chose to leave you behind?"_

_Once again, the kittens remained silent. Their young minds had no answer other than, of course, that the adults had pushed honor to the side in order to stay alive._

"_And loyalty?" The mummy laughed. "Was Lion-O loyal to you? How loyal was he by entering the book and leaving you defenceless? How loyal were your friends, leaving you with me?"_

"_They were not… very loyal," WilyKat ventured._

"_Exactly! You're a smart boy!" Mumm-Ra praised and petted the kitten's head._

"_There's still justice," Kit murmured. "We can still have that."_

"_Ah, justice!" Mumm-Ra exclaimed, "But tell me, girl, what is justice? Do you even know the meaning of the word?"_

"_It's fighting evil and making things right for everyone…" she whispered._

"_If that's what you think, then answer this, what is evil?" The mummy asked. "Me?"_

_The children didn't move and waited, certain that talking or moving would be dangerous; besides, they both were convinced that Mumm-Ra was evil._

"_No, kittens. For me, the Thundercats are evil," the ever-linving one said, his voice having acquired an alluring tone. "When we first met I was only protecting my planet from unwanted visitors. When I came here before you, I thought I could finally have peace again, but no, you followed me! Hunting me down when all I wanted was to have my eternal peace again! As you can see, you did evil things to me first."_

"_No, we…" Kit tried, but soon stopped; she knew Mumm-Ra spoke the truth. It had been an accident, but they arrived to Third Earth uninvited and it was the same in New Thundera, even if it had been their home planet, Mumm-Ra got here first._

"_We're sorry?" Kat ventured, "We didn't think of it that way."_

"_Does that mean we…are evil…?" Kit asked, it sounded insane, but after listening to Mumm-Ra's lulling voice, she started to wonder if that had been the case. At her left, her brother was starting to wonder the very same thing._

"_Not any more," the mummy said. "Now you're with me; and as long as you two serve me, you will be on the right side."_

"_But…" WilyKat trembled a little._

"_What is it boy?"_

"_Those spirits you always call…"_

"_The ancient spirits of evil? They thought they were using me!" Mum-Ra replied. "But not anymore! Now they serve ME and I'll use their power to make great things for this planet and, if you don't betray me, for you as well! So what is going to be kittens? Will you swear to serve me and experience what my vision of greatness is, or would you rather suffer in the mines for the crimes you committed when you were with the Thundercats?"_

_The frightened kittens didn't think about it much. They stood before Mumm-ra and bowed their heads. Serving the monster would be better than working in the dark mines, and they could wait. They could wait and revolt against him._

We chose to stay at the devil's side instead of in his path, WilyKat thought. And we never started our revolt, never could. All we could do was to obey him. Suddenly, the sound of an engine brought him back to the real world. It was coming closer. Looking from a window, he saw the old cargo truck that stopped on the other side of the cliff. Spying in silence, he saw his former friends jump out of it; maybe he should go meet them and… just then, surprise hit him when he saw his sister safe and sound. He staggered back after seeing her. Mumm-Ra had freed her? The young Thunderian realized that could be the truth, the mummy could have killed her while his old friends fought the mutants. But if he didn't, then he must have let her go. That meant the mummy kept his word; he teleported him outside the pyramid and then released his sister. Once again, Mumm-Ra told him the truth, like the mummy had always done since he had come into his lord's service. Suddenly the desire to meet with the Thundercats left him, replaced with a mix of anger and fear. He needed to get away and he did. Wilykat left Cat's Lair without being noticed by the arriving Thundercats

"It's not as bad as I thought," Tygra said, walking a few steps ahead after he jumped out of the vehicle. Being honest, Tygra was just trying to be and sound optimistic about it. The truth was that Cat's Lair was a mess. "I can definitively improve it; it would be even better than anything we had in Third Earth or here before all that happened."

"We have yet to see how bad it is inside," WilyKit pointed out.

"I'm sure we can repair any damage done, we have Panthro with us!" Tygra replied.

"Of course, I'll get everything working again in no time!" the panther assured them.

"I trust you will, my friends," Lion-O added. "We have much to do, but if we work together I have no doubt that we will succeed in this task that lies before us and…"

Wilykit stopped listening to whatever her leader started to say at that point. As far as she was concerned, there was one thing Mumm-Ra had gotten right about Lion-O: his speeches were incredibly obnoxious and boring. Pretending she was actually paying attention, Kit focused instead on the ruins in front of her. Cat's Lair was little more than garbage and in her opinion only a symbol of defeat; she would prefer to go build something new and better in a different place, but she wasn't the one who gave the orders.

"Are you with me?" Lion-O asked at last.

WilyKit yelled an enthusiastic 'Yeah!' knowing it was what was expected from her, but feeling no enthusiasm at all inside.

Minutes later, Lion-O ordered them to find a way to cross the precipice and gain entrance to the Lair. She was the last one to move.

"What's wrong with you?" Tygra asked her, "You are acting strange."

The young female gasped, startled. She had been sitting behind a rock, hiding from the rest of the team. Tygra's interruption was enough to anger her a little; couldn't she have a little privacy? Mumm-Ra had at least had the tact to grant her a little room for herself whenever she asked for it.

"Well?" Tygra insisted. "Won't you tell me what's bothering you?"

"You shouldn't ask me that question," she replied, "because I will not answer you."

"WilyKit…"

"Tygra, drop it!" she cut him off. "I already told you I won't answer you."

"Fine, young girl, I will. But remember you're part of a team again."

"Just be glad I chose your side," she muttered harshly.

"What was that?"

"I said what I said!" she snapped back. "Look at me, Tygra, I'm a woman now, I'm not the girl you remember anymore! I changed! Do you understand that? There's a lot of me I don't want you or the others to know, at least not until I'm ready to tell you! So please leave me alone, now is not a good time to talk to me."

Tygra had the sense to not reply to her. Sighing, the worried Thundercat left the young female alone.

Once she was alone again, Kit stared at the ruins of Cat's Lair. She then recalled what she'd done there. It had been years ago, but the memory was still fresh. She knew Mumm-Ra was the one who forced her and her brother to do it, but what pained her was that part of her had agreed to do such a thing. Closing her eyes, she tried to stop the memory, but it was useless…

"_Do you like to visit this place, children?" Mumm-Ra asked. _

_The evil wizard has had the kittens for two years, and they were now looking more like the teenagers they were. WilyKat's muscles have hardened and grown, thanks to the physical training he's received under Mumm-Ra for his job as his personal bodyguard. WilyKit's form was starting to develop, and her muscles were also firm and smooth, also a result of Mumm-Ra forcing her to do the same exercises as her brother. _

"_We prefer the pyramid, my lord," responded WilyKit as she stared at the floor._

"_Is that true, boy?" the mummy asked, looking at the male twin._

"_Yes, sire," Kat said. "We don't like it here anymore."_

"_And why is that?"_

"_Because of what it represents," added WilyKat._

"_And what is it that it represents?" Mumm-Ra pressed._

_WilyKit stared at the mummy's back with hate-filled eyes, but looked in the other direction when the ever-living being turned to face her. _

"_It represents failure," she said, hoping her voice was free of anger._

"_Whose failure?"_

"_The Thundercats," both twins answered at the same time._

"_Good, my kittens; you're learning quickly." As he said this Mumm-Ra walked to a window and looked outside, at the nocturnal view of New Thundera. It was very different now. Many of the forests had been turned into large cultivated areas and further away, he could see the cities he'd personally devised, Egyptian in style, all of them decorated with images of both himself and the ancient spirits of evil. The cities glittered with the light of industry; trade, even if forced, with other planets, was going well and the stupid mutants had actually been useful keeping his feline slaves in line; everything was going according to plan and he was now incredibly powerful. _

"_Come, kittens. Come here and look at my planet, what do you see?"_

"_The city lights and the industrial complexes," Kat replied._

"_The fields where the slaves' food is grown," Kit added._

"_That's not all," Mumm-Ra said chidingly. "It is greatness! The greatness I told you about. You're looking at a thriving civilization ready to reach its full potential under my rule. Do you think Lion-O could do this? Of course not, he was just an inexperienced boy with delusions of grandeur. He didn't have the intelligence, the experience, the will to make this happen, but I do!" The mummy softly caressed the hair of both twins as he stated this. "And you got the chance to experience it on the right side, kittens. My side, aren't you glad? At my side you have nothing to worry about. Doesn't it make you feel glad you're not Thundercats anymore?"_

_Neither of the twins responded to this, they just closed their eyes and tried to think about something else._

"_Maybe it's too soon for you to admit you're glad I took you in. But you will in time, kittens, I know you will."_

_The twins tensed as they listened to that, but the mummy paid no attention to them and continued._

"_I do, however, think you're ready to do this."_

_The ever-living one then shot from his hand a blast of red energy which started a magic fire on the ground in front of him and the twins. After this, he reached inside his robe and produced two Thundercat insignias, which he handed to the kittens._

"_W-Why are you giving this to us, sire?" WilyKat managed to ask after devoting a second to look at the insignia._

"_Throw them into the fire," the mummy ordered. "It is a symbol of failure. You don't want it anymore if you're going to be with me."_

"_I-I…" WilyKit held back her tears, "Forgive me, lord Mumm-Ra, I…"_

"_Sire, we…" WilyKat tried to say._

"_You can't, can you?" The mummy asked, "I thought as much. It is an image of your past life, a life worth forgetting and leaving behind, children. Remember the anger you felt when the other Thundercats left you with me? Remember how scared you were when the mutants invaded this very place and ruined it? Weren't you furious against Lion-O, who abandoned you to search for his own gain? Well, weren't you?" _

_Mumm-Ra smiled as he saw how the twins gritted their teeth and trembled slightly, he could feel their anger, and it was not directed at him at the moment, which was a great step in the right direction. _

"_Toss those symbols of failure into the fire and be free of it at last. At my side you don't need them, I've cared for you and nurtured you, I've given you education, and I'm giving you things the Thundercats never could. Do it, toss that symbol into the fire and be free of the failures of the past. You know you want to do it, children, I can feel you do."_

_It was WilyKit who moved first. She hated herself for it, but she had to admit that Mumm-Ra was right; the other Thundercats abandoned her and her twin! They left them to save their own lives! Where was their honor if all they thought about was themselves? The female twin looked at the insignia, it represented all she had believed in, and all she had believed in had failed her. She wanted to keep it, to keep on believing, but she couldn't anymore. Closing her eyes, Kit tossed the insignia into the flames, which promptly consumed it._

"_Good girl!" Mumm-Ra praised and caressed the young girl's shoulders. "Good!"_

_WilyKat couldn't believe what his sister had just done. True, he was also considering throwing the insignia into the fire, after all, it only reminded him of how he and Kit were abandoned, deserted, sacrificed by their friends when they were threatened with death. Those memories filled him with anger aimed at the other Thundercats, but he never expected his sister to be the first to throw the symbol into the flames. _

"_What about you, boy?" The ancient wizard asked, "Don't you want to be free?"_

"_Yes, I want to be free." WilyKat took a deep breath and looked one last time at the symbol, only moments ago it had sparked good memories, but now it made him feel only a deep pain in his chest. Growling, he threw the insignia and watched as the flames consumed it._

"_Congratulations boy!" Mumm-Ra said and patted the male twin's head, "You two did the right thing, I'm proud of you!"_

"And now the tables have turned," WilyKit muttered, hiding that memory again in the deepest parts of her mind. "Mumm-Ra's gone and I'm back with the Thundercats. I might as well try to enjoy it."

She then rose and walked to meet the others, apparently Cheetara had been the one who found a way to reach Cat's Lair. As she approached her allies, she couldn't help feeling a deep wave of regret. Unfortunately, she couldn't identify why she was feeling such an emotion. She should be happy, she knew she should; but she just couldn't find even an ounce of happiness inside her.

Hours later . . .

Cat's Lair was in worse condition inside than she remembered. The walls were decaying and the control room was an absolute disaster. It was obvious that during the years, the Mutants thought it was fun to come and trash the ruins even more. Maybe that explained the stench invading every room of the Lair. The worst part was that she had to stand the foul smell as she had been left behind 'guarding' it along with Tygra. Why they should guard these useless ruins, she couldn't understand.

"We should have all gone to free the slaves in the mines," WilyKit complained, standing near a window. "There's no need for us to be here, there's no immediate threat!"

Tygra, who was busy tinkering with a control panel, just shrugged. "Lion-O thought it was best if someone stayed here. Besides, he, Snarf, Panthro and Cheetara can help the Thunderians in the mines just fine."

"I suppose they can."

"I know you're the one who said we had a planet to liberate and I imagine you want to be out there helping, but our job here is also important," Tygra explained.

"Our job?" Kit asked. "And what is our job, to stay here smelling this horrid funk?"

"It's not worse than the smell at the Mutant's fortress, and I bet it's not as bad as the stench in Mumm-Ra's pyramid… but we'll get rid of it as soon as the place is clean."

WilyKit snorted, she could admit the stink was not worse than that of the Mutant's castle, but Mumm-Ra's pyramid didn't smell bad at all; she knew that very well.

"So, when are you going to start?" Tygra asked, "There's a mop and you can get water from the stream behind the Lair."

"You want _me_ to clean?" Kit's eyes stared at the tiger in shock.

"I don't see anyone else around," he said. "Go on, we don't have all day."

Suppressing a growl, WilyKit picked up the mop, left the room and went searching for water, all the way muttering how this was something the inferior Snarfs or other people should do, not her.

Tygra was worried. What happened to the twins during their time with Mumm-Ra? WilyKat betrayed them and WilyKit… WilyKit just seemed to be too angry for her own good. The Thundercat shook his head and sighed; he would have to keep an eye on her.

"How dare he!" WilyKit growled. She had already made her way to the stream Tygra mentioned, and was about to start filling a bucket with water. "Cleaning, me? Surely Snarf should be the one doing this! He's a Snarf after all; it's all his kind is good for!"

Kit kept cursing her current situation when she heard a snap on the other side of the river. She immediately looked in that direction and saw something that left her breathless: a flash of a white cape that vanished between the trees. She knew that cape. It was her brother's!

"WilyKat?" She called, but got no answer, "Brother! Are you alive? Please, answer me!"

When no answer came, WilyKit jumped over the stream and began a desperate dash into the forest.

Later that day…

"What kept you?" Tygra asked, "Did something happen? You've been out for almost five hours! Are you alright?"

Wilykit considered her answer; she'd spent all that time searching the forest looking for her brother with no success. She couldn't tell Tygra that.

"Nothing happened. I'm fine."

"That's good to hear," the tiger shrugged. "I went looking for you and found only the empty buckets. Don't worry. I already cleaned the rooms we'll sleep in tonight and I also cleaned the control room. Tomorrow, though, you will help with the repairs and the cleaning, so hiding somewhere then to avoid duty will not be forgiven."

WilyKit immediately felt offended, and anger swelled quickly inside her. Who was Tygra to accuse her of skipping her job like that? She had been looking for her brother and that was much more important than cleaning these stupid, stinking ruins he and the rest of the Tundercats insisted on repairing!

"Do you understand?" Tygra asked with a serious voice.

WilyKit took in a deep breath and managed to calm herself a little, just enough to appear normal.

"Understood. I will help tomorrow with whatever you and the others think I must do. I must not skip duty because it will not be forgiven."

"Good."

"Can I go?" She asked, still hiding the anger in her voice "I want to sleep."

"Yes, you can go." Tygra said, "Lion-O and the others were here, by the way. They already told the news to the people and everything is going well. They brought food and went back to the city to bring supplies."

"I see…" she answered, not very interested. "I hope they have luck with that."

"I'm sure they will. Cheetara left something for you on your room, I hope you like it."

"Oh, I'll go see what it is."

Saying no more, she left.

"A 'thank you' would have been nice," Tygra muttered.

WilyKit made a detour to the kitchen on the way to her old room. She was hungry and could really use something to eat. She was already imagining the food: roasted meat and salad, wine, iced fruit; only the best for the lord of the Thundercats. Then, as she opened the kitchen's door, disappointment hit her. In front of her were not the delicious meals she had envisioned only seconds ago. All that was in front of her was a box of almost rotten fruit, some water bottles and a sack of dry meat!

"This has to be a joke!" WilyKit cursed as she started searching the kitchen. Surely, the real food was hidden somewhere. A few minutes later the young female gave up. It seemed that Lion-O and the others didn't think about getting food that was actually edible. Back in Mumm-Ra's pyramid she had enjoyed only the best food available on the planet. Here in Cat's Lair they expected her to eat the same garbage the slaves ate! She couldn't understand it! Lion-O was the king! He should be getting only the best of everything! But instead he was happy eating this slop?

"Damn it!" she cursed as she grabbed a water bottle and a piece of dry meat. "If I weren't so hungry I… I'd throw this all away and demand some real food!" Huffing in frustration, the young female left the kitchen, now she really needed some sleep.

WilyKit wasn't surprised to find a manual door installed in her room; the Lair still had no power, after all. Once inside, she saw nothing special. In fact, she saw nothing. The room was empty except for a few blankets in a corner and a small box beside them. She opened the box and stared at what was inside with disbelief. It was a red and blue leotard; very similar in design to the one Cheetara wore. She slowly picked it up and held it in front of her eyes. Was this a joke? She had helped the recently returned lord of the Thundercats free his people and all she got in return for her aid was an insipid leotard?

"Damn ingrate!" she muttered angrily while looking appreciatively at her concubine outfit and jewellery, which she was still wearing. "What I wear now is worth thousands of these stupid leotards! What an insult to someone as important as myself! I'm …"

The young girl stopped. What was she? Mumm-Ra's concubine? Not really, she was his concubine yes, but also his helper. She had been those things, and it was the only reason she'd been important. But, being important that way gave her nice things in return. Something she probably wouldn't get now, if the leotard she held in her hands was any indication. Her attention then shifted to the blankets on the floor. They expected her to sleep on that? The young woman growled a little. She deserved more! Mumm-Ra had once told her that, and she believed it with every atom of her body. She deserved more!

"It will come in time," she said, trying to comfort herself. "And if it doesn't, I will find a way to get more. Because I deserve it, I know I do!"

Placing the leotard back inside its box, WilyKit spent a few minutes spreading the blankets over the floor. Once she assumed she would be as comfortable as possible, she crawled onto them and simply lay there until she fell asleep. Her last thoughts, however, were not about getting more things or better food; they were instead focused on her brother. She desperately wanted him to be alive, he was the only one who could understand her and… she missed him so much.

Out in the forest, WilyKat stared at the fire he'd cooked his dinner over. His sister was alive and free. He was glad, but he didn't really like the fact that she was with Lion-O and the rest of the Thundercats. He wasn't happy about that at all. The fact that Lion-O, Cheetara, Tygra and Panthro didn't do anything for him when Mumm-Ra blasted him with that teleporting ray was not something he appreciated. The Thundercats thought he was dead now, and they didn't even try to help him when he was 'killed'! Perhaps it was better if they thought he was dead.

He reached for his drink, juice he got from some red fruit, and downed the crimson fluid. It was not as good as the wine he usually got to accompany his meals back at Mum-Ra's pyramid, but it would be enough for the moment. He missed his comfortable room too, but he knew a night in the forest wouldn't kill him. Putting out the fire, WilyKat yawned and prepared to sleep. His last thoughts were for his sister. He hoped she would be able to have a good life with the Thundercats, as traitorous as he thought they were.

Somewhere else, inside a black pyramid . . .

Mumm-Ra, the Ever-Living, embodiment of evil energies that would consume and destroy any other life form, smiled as he looked into the bubbling waters of his cauldron. His contingency plan was working, and it was working better than he had expected. In the red waters he could see WilyKat preparing to sleep.

"Those rocks you will be sleeping on don't look comfortable, right, son?" the wizard asked, knowing that in the deepest part of his mind, WilyKat would hear the words as his own thoughts. "But don't worry, I know soon you will make the best choice, you did it once and you will again. Now sleep, my boy, for we will meet soon enough."

Mumm-Ra waved his hand over the cauldron and the waters burbled even more for a moment, when they calmed the image in the cauldron was of WilyKit. She was also preparing to sleep, and the wizard looked at her lovingly for a moment.

"They're expecting you to sleep on the cold floor?" he said to the image, knowing that like her brother, WilyKit would hear him as a thought forming in her head, "The Thundercats will always be ingrates, can't you see it? You helped them, rebelled against me, your dear old master, and that's all they give you, some rags to sleep on and wear? You deserve more, my dear kitten, you really do. You know I would treat you like a queen, don't you? Yes, you know it. But don't worry, soon we will meet once more and you will get all the things you want again."

The mummy laughed and returned to his sarcophagus. He knew the twins would come back to him; it was just a matter of time.

The story continues in chapter 2.

Note: Extra thanks to Adam for beta reading this chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Thundercats and all related character don't belong to me.

Note:

This story takes place in an Alternate Universe set immediately after the end of 'The Return' miniseries published by Wildstorm comics.

Embracing dark desires.

By

Dr Facer

Chapter 2

WilyKit was furious! She had been working hard for the last five days. Doing all that Lion-O said, helping Cheetara, Tygra, Panthro and even Snarf fix things around Cat's Lair. She hated it. She couldn't even understand why she had to help them, why she had to lower herself to these menial labours. The recently freed Thunderians should be happy to get a chance to rebuild the castle of their lord. But no! Lion-O had refused to allow them to work here. When she had asked him why, he had only told her that the people were busy cleaning the cities and making them more comfortable. It irritated her to no end that the only help Lion-O accepted were the materials and spare parts they were using in the never-ending repairs. Another thing that irritated her was the fact that even when she had played nice and ate the garbage they brought to the Lair to pass off as food and even agreed to wear the red and blue leotard Cheetara gave her, Lion-O had still not given her a Thundercat insignia and he wouldn't tell her why. Fortunately, WilyKit didn't care much about that symbol anymore and was much more frustrated by the lack of people helping with the repairs. The only good thing for her was that the power in the Lair was back on.

"I can't believe all this!" WilyKit muttered angrily as she scrubbed the walls of the great meeting hall with a rag, trying to clean them enough for the new paint to be applied. "The slaves…"

She stopped herself and sighed. The Thunderians were no longer slaves, though she sometimes forgot that fact. "The people are dying to work for us and Lion-O refuses? What kind of a fantasy world is he living in?"

"A better one than before." Said Tygra, who entered the halls casually, "The fact that Lion-O is the lord doesn't mean he can use people any way he wants."

"You heard what I said?" WilyKit asked, her anger rising again. Tygra had been hovering around her ever since she rejoined the team. Trying to listen to whatever she said out loud when she thought she was alone or spying on her every move; as if she was a criminal! WilyKit was tired of it, really tired.

"Only what you said about people dying to work here," he replied, "And that thing about Lion-O living in a fantasy world, was there more?" Tygra asked, walking toward her.

"What?" she demanded, immediately on the defensive. "Are you going to lecture me?"

Tygra shook his head, "No, you're not a girl anymore, WilyKit. You said so yourself."

"Then what is it?"

"I'm just wondering, why are you so angry all the time?"

"I'm not angry!"

"You are now. Anger is practically flowing out of you."

The young female crossed her arms and took a deep breath, managing somehow to calm herself, "There, better?"

"A little," Tygra conceded, offering a smile. "I know it's frustrating that we have to do this all by ourselves. I tried to convince Lion-O to get us some help, but he says we were able to build the Cat's Lair on Third Earth with little to no help, and he's confident we can do it again. I think he's right. We have to set an example, WilyKit. We have to show our fellow Thunderians that we can rebuild our world if we put enough effort into it."

"Set an example, how? None of them ever comes here. It's been five days since Mumm-Ra's defeat and I have yet to see one single Thunderian in Cat's lair!"

"Yes, there's a reason for that."

"And that reason is?"

"There's no need to show them Cat's lair until it's repaired, is it?"

"I assume that's why Lion-O goes to the cities everyday?"

"You could say that. Besides, the people need to see their leader, to make sure he's back

and ready to help them." Tygra explained.

"You went to the city with Lion-O and Panthro yesterday," WilyKit charged, her voice acquiring an accusatory tone. "When will I get to go? I'm the only one who's never gone to see what's happening there!"

"I'm afraid you still can't go, and I can't tell you why," Tygra said apologetically. "Lion-O's orders. I'm sorry, but I'm sure he has his reasons."

"Yeah, orders from our lord," WilyKit grumbled. "I'm getting tired of being here! I want to go to the city too!"

"Your turn will come soon." This time it was Cheetara who answered, the female Thundercat had been searching for Tygra and when she heard the tone in WilyKit's voice, decided to intervene. "You just have to be patient."

WilyKit sighed, of all the Thundercats, Cheetara was the only one she still respected enough to not talk back to. "Fine, I will," she said. "I was wondering if I could go out?"

Tygra was about to say something, but Cheetara cut him off, "Of course, WilyKit, go out, we'll finish the work here."

"Thank you, Cheetara, you're the best!" WilyKit smiled a truly honest smile and dashed out of the room. She wanted to go to the forest and look for her brother. She hoped he still was near Cat's Lair.

"Why did you do that?" Tygra asked. "She has to finish her work here first."

"She was about to yell at you and leave without permission anyway," Cheetara explained. "I thought you had already noticed that."

Tygra crossed his arms, slightly frustrated, "Yes… you're right."

"You should be more careful when you talk to her," the female Thundercat advised.

"I know, and I'm sorry, Cheetara it's just that I can't understand her anymore. WilyKit has changed so much… it's as if she's a completely different person."

"Mumm-Ra raised her from childhood into young womanhood," the cheetah noted with a sad, regretful voice. "I would expect that to change anyone."

"Do you think she blames us for it?"

Cheetara's face filled with concern at the idea. "No, I don't think she does. I just hope she understands that it was the only thing we could do to spare her and Wilykat from working on the thundrainium mines…" The woman made a short pause to clear her thoughts on the matterm "What I know for sure is that she's hurting, Tygra. Not just for her brother's death, there's more, much more she's not telling us… I only hope she opens up to one of us soon."

"I hope she does too," Tygra said and looked out the window. "I really do."

WilyKit made her way into the forest and started her search, her eyes scanning everything around her. She spent hours anxiously searching for any trace of her brother's presence. She was sure WilyKat was in the woods, she could practically feel him here. Near sunset, a tired WilyKit sat down on a rock to rest. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, the young female had to admit that this situation reminded her of the first time she had been sent on a mission by Mum-Ra, a tracking mission. Closing her eyes, she slid to the grassy ground and rested her back on the rock, allowing the memory to fill her mind.

_Mumm-Ra stood before his cauldron, WilyKit and WilyKat standing behind him. Both twins were currently handcuffed with gold bracelets and chains which the wizard held tightly. With a wave of his hand, Mumm-Ra sparked some life into the waters of the cauldron and with another gesture, called both twins to his side. By now the twins were almost adults. WilyKat had grown into a handsome young man, with a muscular, yet slim body. WilyKit on the other hand had developed into an extremely attractive and beautiful young woman. Silently the twins approached their master's side and stared down at the cauldron._

"_Look, children," Mumm-Ra ordered. "Three fugitives from the mines have somehow made their way into the mountains and, as you can see, they are building some sort of weapon using the materials they stole."_

"_It looks like an explosive device," WilyKat offered. "Sire, why aren't the mutants there already?"_

"_My brother is right my lord," WilyKit said. "This has happened in the past and the mutants always captured the fugitive slaves before they could do anything."_

"_Slithe and his men are idiots," Mumm-Ra answered. "They couldn't trap this Thunderians if their lives depended on it!"_

"_What makes them so special, master?" WilyKat asked._

"_Two of them are former soldiers and the third was an engineer," the mummy explained. "They are smart enough to avoid the mutants for as long as they want."_

_The twins waited for the wizard to continue._

"_That's why I need one of you to help the stinking mutants," Mumm-Ra went on. "I can trust you have been trained well enough to capture the three fugitives."_

"_Will both of us go?" WilyKit asked._

_The ever-living one laughed. "Of course not, my dear kitten! Only one of you will go!"_

"_Then let me be the one, my lord." WilyKat offered._

_The mummy looked at the young man and smiled. "Not today my boy. This assignment is something more suited to your sister's abilities."_

"_Me?" WilyKit was shocked, "But master… do you really think I can do this?"_

"_You've been well taught my dear." Mumm-Ra said, "I trust you will find those fugitives and bring them justice. Don't worry, your brother and I will be watching your progress from right here." _

_WilyKit felt a mix of revulsion and pride. Revulsion for what she would have to do to warrant her brother's safety: chase and condemn three Thunderians to their grave. She admit, however, that she didn't truly care much about them; her main concern was to do a good job in order to keep her brother safe from her master's wrath. And yes, she felt pride, because she was sent to complete a solo mission for the master first. It was sick and she knew it but she couldn't help it, she always loved to have her skills recognized._

_The chains binding her opened and fell to the floor with a loud clank, "Go." Mumm-Ra ordered. "JackalMan and a group of other mutants are waiting for you. They will be under your orders. Don't fail me, kitten, all fugitives must be punished."_

"_I won't fail you, master. I swear it!"_

"_Are you sure those fugitives are here?" Jackalman asked. The canine was in a very foul mood; being ordered around by a former Thundercat was a horrible thing for him._

"_Yes, I am sure. Now shut up and follow me!" WilyKit ordered. The young girl was enjoying this immensely. She was used to ordering slaves around every time she was in the cities with her master and sometimes she even got maidens sent to the pyramid just for her, but being able to give orders and even insult the mutants freely was great fun._

_Grumbling, JackalMan ordered his canine soldiers to follow the young girl's lead. By midnight, they found a small cave in the mountains._

"_They're in there." WilyKit announced, "Go and do your job, you stinky dogs!"_

"_We're not dogs!" JackalMan complained._

_WilyKit grabbed the mutant by the neck, being now tall enough to do it and squeezed hard, letting him feel her claws, "I will call you dogs if I want to, or perhaps you want to experience what Mumm-Ra will do to you if he sees you disobeying me?"_

_The jackal gulped, "No, it's my mistake… so they're inside the cave? We'll go see." _

_It didn't take long after JackalMan and his group entered the cave for the sound of battle to reach her ears. WilyKit tried to ignore it. She knew what was happening inside the cavern and was glad she wasn't there to see it. Trying to calm herself, she attempted to enjoy the night wind flowing over her bare shoulders and legs. It was a mistake, since suddenly, a pair of hands took advantage of her distraction and grabbed her by her wrists, turning her around to use her as a shield. She got a glimpse of her attacker, it was the old engineer and he appeared to be wounded. _

"_They killed my friends!" The engineer whispered, "They said you brought them here! I should have known that you or your brother would do that, you traitorous cubs!"_

_WilyKat felt a surge of anger inside her. What did this old man know about her and her brother's situation? Nothing! He had no right to tell her these things! _

"_Now, you little whore, don't move! I'm using you as my ticket out of here!"_

_Right then, JackalMan and the other mutants rushed out of the cave, all of them had blood on their hands and teeth. They froze at the scene before them._

"_Do something, you idiots!" WilyKit ordered, if the engineer escaped, her brother would surely die the next day. That thought made her angrier still, letting this old man go would condemn her brother to death! No, she would never allow that to happen, never!_

"_They can't hurt Mumm-Ra's pretty toy, can they?" The engineer, a man from the tiger clan, said, "Good, with you as my hostage, I will even get transport off the planet!"_

"_Let me go!" WilyKit ordered, "Let me go now!"_

"_I don't think so, little minx," he taunted and struggled to drag her away from the still frozen mutants. "You're coming with me! I'll teach you how to be a Thunderian again!"_

_WilyKit growled, the fear of being separated from her brother and him dying because of the engineer turned into anger and hate, and the insults only added fuel to the fire. _

"_What is it? Will you miss Mumm-Ra? That dried up un-dead bastard?" the old Thunderian spat. "For Claudis sake! You're even worse garbage than Grune!"_

_WilyKit's world turned red with anger after she heard those words, "I'm not like Grune and I'm not garbage!" Twisting, the young female broke free of her captor and stared at him with fire red eyes. "You are garbage, you miserable slave!" _

_Blind with rage, Kit scratched angrily at the man's face, damaging it greatly. When the engineer fell on his knees, his hands covering his mutilated face as he squirmed in pain, she realized what she'd just done. All the anger and hate left her then, "I'm…sorry…" she stuttered, but after seeing only disgust in the man's eyes, she couldn't say anything else. Trembling fiercely, WilyKit walked away. Her mission was done. She didn't have to stay here._

"_Curse you, traitor!" The old engineer shouted. He tried to curse her again, but JackalMan and his men fell on him, biting and punching and hitting him with their maces until he was nothing more than a bloody mess. _

_WilyKit entered the black Pyramid with slow, tired steps. She wasn't looking forward to meeting Mumm-Ra and listening to him praising her for what she'd done. The only thing that kept her going was the knowledge that her brother was safe._

"_You did a good job," Mumm-Ra told her when she entered the cauldron room, "Now go and rest, I will have no need for you until tomorrow. Your reward is in your room."_

"_Thank you, my lord," she said, bowing a little. "My brother?"_

"_He's preparing you a bath." The wizard said as he entered her sarcophagus._

_Once in her room, WilyKit gasped at the reward. It was a magnificent red dress decorated with diamonds and lined with gold. She had learned to appreciate gifts like those, and this was the best yet. Yes, she liked it, but it didn't help her feel better. _

"_I'm sorry for what you had to do today," WilyKat said, entering the room. _

"_I murdered those men," She whispered. "I let them die and I… even hated the old engineer for a moment… when he almost escaped using me as a shield… I truly hated him… because if he escaped… Mumm-Ra would kill you," WilyKit said and, realizing she was crying, dried her tears with her new dress._

_WilyKat hugged her then. "Don't cry… there was nothing you could do. I… I would have done the same thing. We're all we have left, sister. We're the only ones who can understand each other. For me, keeping you alive it's the only thing that matters."_

_Kit breathed her brother's essence and relaxed. "It's all that matters to me, too."_

"…_Mumm-Ra told me he was proud of you," WilyKat whispered. "I'm sorry."_

"_I don't care he's proud!" She yelled, "I don't believe he cares for me or you!"_

It was then that a thought entered her mind and pulled her out of her memories. If her brother was alive, it meant Mumm-Ra didn't kill him. Why?

"Why did he let WilyKat live?" She asked to the trees around her, "I don't understand."

But she did. The mummy didn't want to see WilyKat dead, just in the same way he had tried to keep her from suffering when Lion-O and the other Thundercats entered the Black Pyramid. Mumm-Ra cared for them. It was a strange thought, to say the least. For whatever twisted reason he had, the ancient wizard cared for her and her twin enough to spare their lives and set them free.

"Does it mean he was telling me the truth?" She wondered, remembering the moments before his battle with the Thundercats, when Mumm-Ra told her that she wouldn't be able to say that her master didn't love her.

"Damn it!… Mumm-Ra… loves me? And he also cares for my brother? That's just sick! But if…"

The young female abandoned that thought as she heard someone approaching. She stood up and waited. Surprisingly, Lion-O was the one who arrived.

"I've been looking for you," The young lord announced, "We have to talk."

WilyKit eyed him carefully. "About what?"

"Tygra is worried about you. He thinks that…"

"That I'm angry all the time?" WilyKit interrupted. "Well, I wouldn't be if he stopped spying on me!"

"He only wants to help you," Lion-O protested. "We all want to help you."

"I don't need help!" she responded, once again feeling the anger rising inside her, "All I need is my space! Tygra has been on my back so much that I can't help but feel nervous all the time! He's driving me insane!"

"Calm down WilyKit, I'm not accusing you of anything! Listen, if that's the way you feel…" Lion-o paused for a second, "I'll talk to Tygra as well then."

"Would you do that for me?"

"I promise." Lion-O smiled, glad that WilyKit had calmed down. "It seems you like to be in this forest, why?"

Kit tensed a little; she couldn't afford to have Lion-O here. She wouldn't be able to search for her twin if he decided that the forest was a nice place to be.

"Is there a reason you like it?" he asked again.

"Tygra doesn't follow me here," she said quickly, "It's also quiet and I can remember my brother without anyone interrupting or bothering me."

"Your brother… he wasn't…" Lion-O stopped there and for a second it seemed as if he didn't know what to say. In the end, he sighed and offered a small smile, "…I'm sorry. I guess it still hurts… You should try to only remember the good things you did with him, it'll keep the pain away."

"I know," she assured, pleased that Lion-O didn't care about the forest. Still, she was not very happy with the way Lion-O had reacted after she mentioned WilyKat.

"Anyway, let's go back to the Lair! I have a surprise for you."

"I hope it's a good one," WilyKit said, following the young lord.

Not too long afterward, inside Cat's Lair, Lion-O led the way until he and WilyKit were in the meeting hall. It looked just like before, if a little bit cleaner, and the rest of the team was there. Tygra stood near the windows, Panthro and Cheetara stood together on the other side of the room and Snarf was standing right in front of her.

"There's something for you on the table," said Lion-O, "Go on and take it, it's yours."

Kit noticed a cloth-wrapped object and hesitantly moved to reach for it. Very slowly, she unwrapped it to reveal a Thundercat insignia. WilyKit couldn't help but feel slightly amused. She didn't care about the emblem or its meaning anymore, but she couldn't deny that she had been vaguely curious about when would she get a new one.

"This marks your return as a real Thundercat!" exclaimed Lion-O, "I'm sorry we didn't give you an insignia before now, but it's a detail that has just been fixed, right?"

WilyKit pressed the insignia against her belt and smiled to Lion-O and the others once the symbol was attached, "I think so. Thank you."

"And there's more, in five days you will come with me and Panthro to the city!" The young leader added, "I'm sure that you'll love the changes being made there."

"I'm sure I will." She replied with interest. "I appreciate it."

"Hey, everybody!" Snarf interrupted. "I thought we were going to have a party, Snarf!"

Lion-O laughed, "Yes, of course!"

And then, Snarf pulled out a hidden box from under the table. WilyKit was gladly surprised to see that inside of it was finally some half-decent food and drinks.

Hours later…

Resting on the blankets that still were her bed, WilyKit recalled the party and admitted that it had been fun. Seeing Tygra and Panthro and Cheetara joking and laughing with Lion-O brought back memories of good times past. The small festivity really returned her all the way to the days on Third Earth, back when she had been only a carefree cub flying around on her space board along with her… brother. WilyKat, her brother, whom the other Thundercats couldn't or possibly didn't want to save! Her brother they now assumed to be dead!

"He's not! I know he's alive and I'm going to find him!" she whispered, wondering then what the others would say if she ever showed up in Cat's lair with WilyKat at her side. They probably wouldn't like it much. After all, WilyKat was the one who had delivered them to Mumm-Ra and if the way Lion-O acted when she mentioned her brother earlier that day was an indication of what the other Thundercats felt about him, then that was a meeting they surely would never want to happen.

"I guess they probably hate him and think he's a traitor… but he only did that for me, to make sure I could be free… he wasn't doing anything bad! They shouldn't hate him for it! I…" Confused about her feelings on the situation, WilyKit pushed her thoughts aside and focused on sleeping. After a couple of hours turning around in her blankets, she was finally able to fall into a restless dream plagued by nightmares she wouldn't remember the next day.

Somewhere, in a farm close to Cat's Lair…

WilyKat approached the house as silently as he could. He'd found a cave in the forest that he planned to use as a temporary residence until he found something better. So far the cave was the best he could hope for: it was large enough and had no humidity, it was hidden under a large tree and he could use it as a hideout. But he still needed supplies, which he intended to obtain from the people living in this farmhouse. The fact he liked his cave didn't mean he was happy living in it. Not when only just over a week ago, he'd been living in the most important place on the planet, Mumm-Ra's black pyramid. He actually missed it! Mumm-Ra's library of ancient magic scrolls, (which was only a small fragment of what he still kept in Third Earth) and his own room were what he missed the most.

There was something, however, that he missed even more: his sister. He felt the all too familiar rage when he recalled that she was living with the Thundercats. He really wanted her to be happy, but over the past five days, he'd convinced himself that living with those traitors who only thought about themselves wouldn't do WilyKit any good. Unfortunately, he couldn't do anything about it. He wanted to get his sister out of Cat's Lair, but didn't have enough power to even try. If he attempted it, Lion-O and the others would probably fight him. All he could do was to stare at her from the distance every time she entered the forest to look for him. He hated that. He wanted to go to his sister, to comfort her and to hold her in his arms and tell her everything would be alright if they were together as they always had. But it was impossible. She was probably being indoctrinated into the code again, and little by little she would stop going into the forest and… no! WilyKat couldn't believe that. His sister would never give up on him, she would never do that!

"And because she won't give up on me, I have to make sure that I survive," he muttered, looking carefully at the farmhouse in front of him. Only one light on the second floor was still on. Sitting there, hiding on the tall grass, made him remember the first time he had to go on a mission for Mumm-Ra.

"_Come here, my boy." Mumm-Ra called. The ever-living was standing in front of his cauldron and was very interested in whatever it showed. "Come here and watch this."_

_WilyKat did as he was told and gazed into the always burbling waters. There, he saw Bengali working very hard on something._

"_That filthy, fugitive Thunderian blacksmith is working on a sword he hopes will be able to destroy me." _

"_He can't defeat you, sire," WilyKat protested. "That man is just having a stupid idea."_

"_Indeed." Mumm-Ra agreed. "But he shouldn't be having them in the first place."_

"_What will you do about it, master?"_

"_Your sister did a great job a month ago, hunting down those fugitives." The mummy said. "I wonder if you're wiling to try doing something like that for me?"_

"_A mission?" WilyKat stared at Mumm-Ra with an open mouth. "Do you think I'm ready to serve you in such a manner, my lord? Bengali is a Thundercat, I couldn't…"_

"_You are ready." The wizard interrupted, "I've trained you well enough. You have seen what the Thundercat's lies did, you know they will lie to accomplish everything, and I know you will not listen to this Thundercat's lies. You can do what I'm about to ask of you."_

"_And what will that be?"_

"_Find Bengali's hideout and destroy his sword. Also, you will capture him so he can be taken to the mines for punishment." Mumm-Ra said, "You have potential, boy. I've taught you how to use it already and I believe that potential will help you today."_

"_Do you really think so, master?"_

"_I'm sure of it." The mummy smiled cruelly, "Don't fail me. Bengali must be punished."_

"_I won't master, I will succeed." WilyKat assured him._

"_Good, now go, my son. I'll have your sister here and we'll watch your moves closely."_

_WilyKat arrived in only a few hours to the old, ravaged hut Bengali was hiding_ _in. The house had a basement that the young blacksmith spent most of his time working in. Kat considered this a waste of time. No matter what Bengali was doing, it would not be enough to defeat Mumm-Ra; but he had to admire his skill and his dedication, Bengali had been a fugitive for almost two years now, and he'd managed to stay hidden from Mumm-Ra's power and escape the Mutant raids. Not an easy feat. But this was a game he should never have started. Sighing, WilyKat steeled his resolve and entered the old hut as stealthy as he could, trying hard not to think about Bengali's sad fate, which was probably a very slow and painful death._

_WilyKat suspected something was wrong when he made his way easily into the basement and didn't find Bengali there. The sound of the door closing behind his back confirmed it. Kat turned to see Bengali standing in front of him._

"_You've grown." The white tiger said, staring at Kat appreciatively, "You're almost as tall as me."_

"_Tell me what you have been doing here." WilyKat demanded, "My master told me you're constructing some type of sword."_

"_So, you now call Mumm-Ra master?" Bengali raised his hammer threateningly, "Since when?"_

"_Since the moment you and the other Thundercats abandoned me and my sister in his hands!" WilyKat responded, anger starting to surge inside him, "Now answer my question, Bengali! What are you doing here?"_

"_Woah! Quite resentful aren't we?" Bengali asked, "I thought you would be eager to join me in this, don't you want to see Mumm-Ra destroyed?"_

"_Lord Mumm-Ra cannot die." WilyKat responded, "You should know that already."_

"_But you must want to get revenge on him. He's turned you into a slave!" _

"_Revenge on Mumm-Ra, why?" WilyKat said, "He's given me and my sister all we ever needed, he's looked after us, he's done so much for us! He's done more for us than you traitorous Thundercats ever did!"_

_Bengali actually growled at that, when he saw it was one of the twins entering his hideout, he had expected things to go differently. "I see the wizard did a good job feeding you all that bullshit against us."_

"_Bullshit?" Kat was now allowing the anger to fill him, "It's the truth!"_

"_Not it's not, not by a long shot, kid." Bengali shook his head, "It seems you really need some re-education."_

"_Are you going to fight me?" _

"_I will if I have to," Bengali said dangerously. "But I prefer to keep things from getting messy, my work here is too important to be ruined in a fight."_

_WilyKat frowned. He was starting to get tired of Bengali's words. He was going to tell him all those lies about the code. Lies he had no interest in listening. All he cared about was his sister's life, and the only way to preserve her life was to succeed in his mission._

"_You don't have to obey Mumm-Ra, if you help me, we can get the others free and together we can bring Lion-O out of the Book of Omens and…"_

"_Shut up!" WilyKat shouted. "I'm not here to listen to your empty promises! I'm sorry Bengali, but I'm here to take you back to the mines!" _

"_So, it's going to be like that?" The white tiger asked, clearly disappointed, "I should have known you're not a Thundercat anymore, if you side with Mumm-Ra you're nothing but a miserable traitor!" Saying this, Bengali raised his hammer and charged at Kat, intending on knocking him out so he could drill some sense into him later._

_WilyKat expected this, after all, Bengali had always been very impulsive. He didn't want to fight him, he really didn't! All he wanted was to destroy the tiger's sword and take him back to the mines. But now he had to fight him. For his sister's safety, he had to. He waited for the first attack, a low lunge from the hammer and he jumped over it, landing a few steps away._

"_You're faster," the tiger commented._

"_And you're slower. Getting old?" Kat taunted. Mumm-Ra once told him that mocking opponents in a fight was a good way to win the upper hand. He hoped it would work._

"_Why you little…!" Bengali growled, clearly losing his focus._

"_It's enough! I told you I only want to take you back to the mines!"_

"_I'd rather die!"_

"_I can't grant you that wish," WilyKat replied as he reached for a small crystal he kept under his belt. "I'm only here to capture you!"_

"_Just try it kid!" Bengali exclaimed, raising his hammer again, "Nobody will take me back there, not even Mumm-Ra!"_

_WilyKat dodged the next swipe of the hammer and taking advantage of Bengali's frustration, he was able to throw the crystal at him. _

"_What the…!" That was all Bengali could say. When the crystal hit him, he found himself encased in a green, hard substance he could not get free of._

"_Don't struggle." WilyKat advised, "Your air supply will last longer that way." The young man reached for the communicator he carried in his belt and called the mutants._

"_You were trying to duplicate the eye of Thundera?" WilyKat asked, holding an unfinished clone of the Thundercat's holy sword in his hand. Kat was waiting for the arrival of the mutants who would take the blacksmith fugitive back to the mines. Bengali, being encased inside the green substance, could not answer him._

"_It's a very good job, but I wonder how were you planning to give it power? Perhaps you were only going to use it to lure my master into a trap?" It felt strange for WilyKat to call Mumm-Ra that, but for all purposes, Mumm-Ra was his master now._

"_It's a shame, but I'll have to destroy this." _

_Kat walked to the furnace and without further thought, tossed to sword into the flames, "I'm sorry, but it's your own fault." He said as he watched how the fire consumed the blade._

_It was until late that night that WilyKat returned to the Black Pyramid, and like his sister before him he had no desire to hear Mumm-Ra's praise. Once inside the cauldron room, WilyKat waited until the mummy, who was busy watching the waters of his cauldron, decided to regard him._

"_You did well today, my son." Mumm-Ra said at last, "You'll find your reward in your quarters. I hope you like it; it's the ancient scroll you wanted to read."_

"_Thank you, my lord," WilyKat bowed. "What about my sister?" _

"_She is safe and already asleep," the mummy answered._

_Bowing again, WilyKat walked out of the cauldron room. His sister was safe! Hearing that was all he needed to get rid of the feeling of guilt born from sending Bengali to his death; as long as he could keep his sister safe, he didn't care about anything else._

The memory ended and WilyKat focused again on the task at hand: get the food, power cells and other supplies which he would need to survive in the forest. Rushing on light feet, the young man approached the house and was able to enter it in absolute silence.

Once inside, it didn't take him long to find what he needed and even more. WilyKat stored power cells, canned food, drinks, oil and a communicator among other things inside a sack and frowned. This was stealing. The thought entered his mind just then. He'd never had to pay for anything before. Being Mumm-Ra's bodyguard granted him the power to grab all he wanted for free.

"But not anymore," he whispered. After a moment, WilyKat removed his right arm bracelet and placed it on the kitchen's table. It was made of gold, and it was more than enough to pay for the things he'd taken. Content with the trade, he prepared to leave.

"Don't move!"

Kat turned to see a middle aged Thunderian, of the puma clan it seemed, pointing a laser gun at him. The man appeared to be furious.

"Well, if it isn't 'lord' WilyKat!" The puma said as he recognized the one who entered his house uninvited, "How the mighty have fallen, right? Now that Mumm-Ra's gone you ended up as nothing but a thief!"

"The bracelet I left in the table should be enough to pay for what I'm taking, and even more," WilyKat argued, slightly offended. "There's no need to call me thief!"

The man snorted, "I don't want that garbage; it's tainted by that bastard who found it funny to turn us into slaves! Now drop my things and get the hell out of my house!"

"I need them!" WilyKat pleaded. "But the bracelet is really valuable, you don't have to keep it if you don't want it, you can sell it or something."

"I don't think you understand," The man said. "Drop my things and leave my house or I'll shoot you right were you stand."

"Why are you doing this?" WilyKat asked, frustrated. "I'm giving you something that's worth hundreds of times what I'm taking, why are you refusing?"

"I don't like being robbed, especially not by traitors to the Thundercats like you!"

"I didn't betray them!" WilyKat yelled. "They betrayed me!"

"That's not what I heard," the farmer said. "Snarf told us you took lord Lion-O straight into a trap!"

Snarf. WilyKat growled, that bigmouthed rat! He should have expected that. After all the useless Snarfs couldn't keep their mouths shut.

"I heard 'lady' WilyKit returned to the Thundercats," the farmer continued. He was feeling good, torturing WilyKat with words was almost as good for him as hitting Mumm-Ra with a shovel, "But I bet your whore of a sister only did it to try and keep her privileges, didn't she?"

"My sister is not what you said. Take it back," WilyKat hissed.

"I'm telling you the truth, it hurts, huh?" the puma jeered. "You know what, traitor? I just changed my mind; I'm not going to just let you go. I'm taking you to the Thundercats first thing tomorrow. Come here, I'll have to tie you down!"

"No, you will not," WilyKat growled, there was no way in hell he would be taken to the Thundercats, "You're going to take back what you said about my sister and let me go or I'll have to hurt you."

"Have you noticed I'm the one holding the gun?" the farmer asked sardonically.

"It won't help you if I decide to hurt you. Now do what I say or you will regret it."

The farmer laughed. "I think not. Your sister _is_ a slut, I hope Lord Lion-O realizes she's just a climber and throws her out! You and she deserve it for letting us all rot under Mumm-Ra's rule for years! Weren't you Thundercats? Why didn't you do anything for all of us?"

WilyKat tensed and realized he was about to jump at the man. He took a deep breath and managed to calm down. He shouldn't do it. It wasn't the man's fault to still believe in the lies of the Thundercats. But what he said about his sister… he did deserve punishment for it, and WilyKat would deliver it. Slowly, he searched in his belt until he found the last of his small crystals. He was about to toss it when a flash grazed his shoulder and pain ran wild all over his arm.

"That was just a warning," the farmer said. "Move again and the next one will be a full hit on your chest."

WilyKat saw red. The pain caused by the shot and the humiliation along with the insults on his sister turned into anger and hate. It happened in a matter of seconds. A furious WilyKat moved with an incredible speed and slashed at the man's neck with his sharp claws. The farmer, too scared to do anything to defend himself from the demon with red glowing eyes could only watch as his throat was practically sliced open. Grunting, the man fell to the floor and died.

"Husband?"

WilyKat looked in front of him. He saw a woman and her two daughters. The younger, a little girl, was already crying. The older, a young adult about his age, stared at him with only hate in her eyes. The mother seemed to be in shock.

And then it happened.

The mother yelled.

The younger daughter cried.

The older daughter cursed him and rushed to grab her father's gun.

And WilyKat, realization finally hitting him, grabbed the things he stole and jumped out of a window. He didn't stop running until he disappeared into the shadows of the night.

The story continues in chapter 3.

Notes:

Extra Thanks to Adam for beta readng this chapter.

If you didn't read 'The Return' miniseries, here's a quick recap:

Lion-O entered the Book of Omens for an undetermined (five to ten years it seems) period of time. Mumm-Ra gains control over the ancient spirits of evil (It's not explained how he did it, though) and defeats the Thundercats, conquering New Thundera in the process.

Mumm-Ra sends all the Thundercats into slavery. He keeps the twins and raises them from childhood to young adulthood, keeping them as his personal servants.

When Lion-O comes out of the Book of Omens, he frees the other Thundercats. Together, they defeat the Mutants and Mumm-Ra as well. In the end, WilyKat is thought to be dead and a traitor (of sorts) and WilyKit returns with the team.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Thundercats and all related characters don't belong to me.

Note:

This story takes place in an Alternate Universe set immediately after the end of 'The Return' miniseries published by Wildstorm comics.

Embracing dark desires.

By

Dr Facer

Chapter 3

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Somewhere in the forest, WilyKat rushed inside his cave. The young man was breathing hard and was about to collapse. He had run all the way from the farm to his hideout, never stopping until now. Finally feeling somewhat safe, he tossed the stolen goods to the floor and sat down on the pile of hay he used as bed. For a brief moment the faces of the farmer and his family flashed in his mind, but he discarded that thought easily. He knew he was supposed to feel guilt for his actions, but the only thing he felt then was fear. Fear of what was going to happen to him now because, WilyKat was sure, the Thundercats would soon learn of what he did on the farm and it wouldn't be long before they found him and...

"…And then what?" He murmured, his fear surging at the idea of being caged, "Let them toss me into a cell or put me inside a crystal box they will be all too glad to shoot into space?"

No. He would never let that happen, never! Not as long as they kept his sister with them. No, he had to save WilyKit from the Thundercats, because now that he'd killed a filthy slave, he would have very little time to do so; Lion-O, Panthro and the others would surely work harder to indoctrinate her in the lies of the code now, and if they succeeded, he would lose his sister forever. She would forget about him, she would not understand him or the reason he had to punish that farmer with death, she…

"Curse those traitors!" he muttered. "I won't let them have her, I'll take her back, I'll… get arrested as soon as I set foot in Cat's Lair."

The problem, as he knew very well, was that he did not have enough strength. The few magic spells Mumm-Ra had taught him could probably give him a fighting chance against his former friends one-on-one, but it would never be enough to defeat them all or to face Lion-O and the Eye of Thundera. Kat was a former Thundercat, after all, and he was well aware of the Sword of Omens and its nearly limitless power.

"Damn it!" He growled, "If I wasn't so weak! If I could use my magic like master Mumm-Ra can…if I!"

…If he could just unleash his potential, the potential Mumm-Ra had always said he had. He remembered the first time the mummy mentioned such a thing, the first time he'd felt the magic energy surging through his body. It had been during his third year under the service of the dark wizard and, coincidentally, that day he had also felt a deep fear of losing his sister, just like now…

_WilyKat, who was then in his mid teens, walked a few steps ahead of Slithe; he was supposed to guide the disgusting lizardman all the way to the cauldron room, where Mumm-Ra would meet him._

"_Why did he send you?" Slithe asked, "I know my way around."_

"_Lord Mumm-Ra ordered me to." Kat answered, "I only follow his orders."_

"_It must be humiliating being his slave, yeees?" The large mutant said with a cruel smile, "I bet you don't feel invincible now, do you cub?" _

_WilyKat didn't reply; he just lowered his head and mentally cursed Slithe, thinking of the many things he could do to take revenge on the disgusting mutant for his comments. By then, after three years under Mumm-Ra's influence, Kat had stopped considering torturing your enemies a bad thing, and grinned as he imagined Slithe being put in one of the many torture devices his master had on the pyramid._

"_What, no witty answer?" The lizardman pressed, "How would you like it if I tell you all the things we've been doing to your friends?"_

"_They're not my friends anymore." The teenager answered, "And I… I already know what you do to them."_

"_Oh, really?" Slithe appeared to be somewhat intrigued by this, "Since when?"_

"_That's none of your business, filthy mutant." Kat said and stopped at the entrance of the cauldron room, "Now enter and wait, my master will meet you shortly." _

"_You're not a good servant, you miserable cub." Slithe said as he passed by WilyKat's side, "You're still too arrogant. If you were serving me, I would have taken care of your attitude long ago. Yes, long ago." _

_The teenager stared silently at Slithe with anger-filled eyes until the mutant snorted and moved on._

"_Come out Mumm-Ra, I'm too busy running your mines to be wasting my precious time here." Called the lizardman, "Or perhaps you want a drop in production, yeees?"_

"_I tire of your lack of patience, Slithe," proclaimed a deep, raspy voice which emerged from the sinister sarcophagus on the far side of the room. The voice filled the dimly lit chamber and Kat smirked as he watched the mutant look everywhere with an expression of barely controlled panic._

"_I-I-I am patient." Slithe said, making a great effort to keep his voice calm, "I just don't like to leave my stupid men in charge for too long."_

"_Not even for a chance of gaining a new personal slave?" Mumm-Ra offered as his coffin opened and he emerged from it. The mummy was followed by a teenaged WilyKit. The female twin was handcuffed and wrapped in a white robe from neck to toe. Her gaze was blank and she walked aimlessly, like a mindless zombie. _

"_Who are you talking about, that girl?"_

_The mummy ignored Slithe's question, chained the beautiful girl to one of the tall pillars and, finally, raised his horrid hand, motioning Kat to come closer._

"_Yes, sire?" WilyKat asked as he stared fearfully at his sister. _

"_I've decided to give you to the mutants, boy." The wizard said, "You will go with Slithe and your sister will be sacrificed to the Ancient Spirits of Evil today."_

_Terror struck Kat as he listened to those words. Working in the mines? Letting his sister be sacrificed? That could not be, that would never be!_

"_B-b-but my lord, why are you doing this?" WilyKat yelled, "We've done everything you've asked of us and more! I don't deserve that, my sister doesn't deserve that! I want to stay here!"_

"_If you really want to stay with me… prove it," The dark wizard challenged, with a smile so evil that it sent shivers all over Kat's body. "Slithe, if you force the child to yield, you may take him and do whatever you want with him."_

"_And…what if I make Slithe yield?" Kat interrupted, his body trembling with fear._

"_If you do, then you get to stay here and…" Mumm-Ra paused for a second to study both Slithe, who appeared to be greatly enjoying this development, and the teenaged Thunderian, who appeared three seconds away from dying of a shock of terror, "If you manage to use what I taught you yesterday I will give you a special prize."_

"_Are you sure about this?" The mutant asked, "I don't want to play any of your sick games, there's too much to do in the mines for me to waste time here."_

"_I assure you Slithe, this is not a game."_

"_Just so you know Mumm-Ra, I was hoping for a chance to discipline this arrogant little slave of yours." The lizardman said as he reached for the iron mace that hung from his belt, "I won't go easy on him either, don't blame me if I break a bone or two."_

"_I expect nothing less from you," The ever living being replied. "You may begin."_

_The mutant wasted no time and, with speed which defied his size and bulk, he attacked WilyKat, aiming straight for his left shoulder with a seemingly unstoppable descending arc. Kat however, managed to dodge the attack, jumping back at the last moment. But Slithe had planned for this and whipped his tail forward. It struck the young Thunderian fully in the chest and sent him flying all the way to the edge of Mumm-Ra's cauldron._

"_You're no warrior!" The lizardman mocked. "You're nothing but a puny little cub. I doubt I can find any use for you… perhaps I'll just kill you here!"_

_WilyKat, a hand over his bruised ribs, gasped for breath as he fought back the incredible pain he felt. He had to get back on his feet soon, before Slithe was close enough to land another hit. _

"_I expected better from a former Thundercat; but I can see you're nothing!" Slithe laughed, rising his mace again, "You're no better than the others; in fact, you're even worse, weak and useless!" _

_WilyKat's eyes instinctively sought out his sister, hoping to find support in her, but she was still in a dream-like state, gazing at the fight yet not really seeing anything. What the hell did Mumm-Ra do to her?_

"_I wouldn't worry about her if I was you, boy." Mumm-Ra advised, "She is unharmed. I only placed her in a trance to make the sacrifice easier. If you don't want her to die, then beat Slithe with what I have shown you!"_

"_You're wasting your time Mumm-Ra, this cub has been useless since we were all on Third Earth." Slithe was already right in front of Kat, who had been distracted by Mumm-Ra's words. With a quick move, the reptile grabbed WilyKat by the neck and lifted him up, "He was useless then, he is useless now and he will be useless forever!"_

_Laughing, the reptile finished his sentence by smashing his mace into WilyKat's side while maintaining a strong grip on his neck. The pressure on his throat was so great that Kat couldn't even scream in pain when he felt one of his ribs crack. _

"_What will it be, cub? Do you give up?" The reptile asked, "Not that this isn't fun, but I have better things to do than to play with a weak and cowardly little cub."_

_Struggling for breath, WilyKat tried to sink his claws into Slithe's arms, but the lizardman's scaly skin proved to be quite resistant. This wasn't good. His air supply was almost gone, his strength was abandoning him, his damned rib was stabbing him from the inside and his vision was starting to fade to black. Kat knew it was over. He was about to faint. _

"_Are you ready to give up, kid?" Slithe insisted, smashing his mace into Kat's side one more time, "Answer the question!"_

_Kat had never felt so much physical pain before; wave after wave of searing agony spread from his ribs to his legs and arms, causing his body to shake uncontrollably. Was there nothing he could do? Was he really so weak he could not save his sister? Was giving up and abandoning himself to sweet unconsciousness all he could do? _

_No._

_If he fainted his sister would die._

_If he fainted it would only prove he was everything Slithe said._

_If he fainted he would be no better than the traitorous Thundercats that abandoned him and his sister three years ago._

_No. _

_He would not faint; he would beat Slithe._

_But how was he going to do that? He not only had to defeat the mutant, he also had to do it using what Mumm-Ra had shown him the day before or the mummy would probably not forgive his twin! Unfortunately, trying to use magic in the way the sorcerer told him was not an easy thing given the circumstances. Mumm-Ra had explained that magic in its rawest form was channelled by emotion; and that once a person started practicing it, learning how to use spells to cast elaborate magic would not be difficult._

"_It seems this is all he's got. Should I kill him or do you want him alive?" Slithe asked._

"_Kill him." The wizard answered coldly, "He doesn't have the potential I thought he did. And if he doesn't, then he is of no use to me."_

_The reptile grinned and lifted his mace, ready to crush his victim's head, "You should thank me, you're getting a better death than a weak embarrassment like you deserves."_

_WilyKat panicked when he heard Mumm-Ra ordering his execution and his fear escalated when he saw a blurry image of Slithe preparing his final strike. Gasping, Kat tried to look at his sister one last time, but the lizardman's grip was too tight; he was unable to move his head._

"…_We… will… not… die… here…" Kat managed to say, trying desperately now to remember how to summon the magic energy of the pyramid. It was his only choice and his final chance at surviving. There was no other way. He had to use magic to please his evil master and in his condition, it was the only thing powerful enough to defeat Slithe. He had to do it if he wanted to live!_

"_Wrong, kitten." Slithe laughed, "You will die." With those words, the reptile brought down his mace._

_But something happened then, something that stopped Slithe's arm just above WilyKat's forehead. It was power, a power that started to flow from the teenager into the mutant's arm. A power that almost made Slithe's skin crawl in the same way Mumm-Ra´s presence did. A power that was making his hand burn so much that he had no choice but to drop the miserable kid._

"_You… will… regret this… Slithe…" The youth swore, letting his urge for vengeance take over. He could barely stand on his feet and glared at the lizardman with red glowing eyes and an expression of complete hatred, "You… like pain?... Here…take mine!" WilyKat yelled as he raised his left hand and unleashed a bolt of sickly blue light that hit Slithe in the face._

_The mutant leader fell backwards as the energy summoned by Kat coursed through him. He didn't know what the cub had just done, but he was in pain, terrible pain. _

"_Make him stop!" Slithe screamed, squirming in the dirt like a worm. "Mumm-Ra, make that cursed kid stop!"_

_The wizard, however, didn't lift a finger. Mumm-Ra instead stared at WilyKat with a triumphant smile on his rotten face. _

_Fortunately for Slithe, his suffering didn't last long. Just when the reptile was sure he would go insane, whatever the kid was doing stopped and the pain along with it. Breathing like mad, his body covered with sweat, the lizardman stared at the young Thunderian in front of him. He jumped back when the kid fell flat on his face, fearing that he would get zapped again._

"_Afraid of a child, Slithe?" Mumm-Ra mocked, the ever-living one still smiling, "You should thank me for letting you help me trigger his magical potential."_

_The reptile ignored what the wizard had said and, with a growl, picked up his mace, intending to smash the kid's head into a bloody pulp._

"_Touch that boy, Slithe, and the pain you just felt will be your happiest memory for the rest of your life." The mummy warned, "Leave now, I'll contact you later."_

"_Make sure I'm never alone with that kid again, or I will kill him." Slithe promised. He knew talking back to Mumm-Ra was a dangerous game, but he was furious and he knew he could at least get away with that much. Muttering every curse and insult he could remember, the lizardman glared one last time at the wounded Thunderian and made a hasty exit, wishing that every magic user in the universe would die right then._

_WilyKat felt something cool and pleasant over his chest. He'd been awake while his master talked to Slithe, he just hadn't had the energy to move or do anything. But now, as the coolness invaded his body and the pain was eradicated, he felt his energy returning and he finally managed to open his eyes, only to find it was Mumm-Ra's hand that generated the healing cold._

"_You did well, my son," The mummy said. "You do have potential to be my apprentice. I am very pleased with you."_

_Kat remembered Mumm-Ra's threats of killing his twin and immediately tried to move away from the wizard, but he couldn't force himself to. The cold just felt too good._

"_You don't have to worry about your sister, if that's what you're thinking." The ever living one said as he finished healing Kat's wounds, "I sent her to her room, she must be sleeping there by now and she will not remember anything tomorrow." _

"_But… you said you would sacrifice her…" Kat finally managed to say as he sat up._

"_I had to tell you that in order to help you awaken your dormant power. There was no other way." Mumm-Ra helped the boy up and offered him a twisted smile, "You do know I would never hurt any of you, don't you?"_

_WilyKat lowered his head. He didn't know what to say or think._

"_Have I ever hurt you before? I only did this because it was necessary." The blue skinned mummy said in that low alluring tone he always used when he wanted to convince the twins of something, "And I did stop Slithe from killing you. If I wanted you and your sister dead, I would have killed you long ago."_

_WilyKat closed his eyes. Seeing things from Mumm-Ra's point of view, they suddenly became very reasonable. It was true, the wizard had never hurt him or WilyKit, and Mumm-Ra did stop Slithe. Yes, he had to accept that Mumm-Ra didn't want him dead._

"_Now tell me, when you had Slithe at your mercy, did you like it?"_

_The youth felt shame for this, but he had to admit that he did enjoy watching Slithe yelling in pain._

"_Well, did you?"_

"_I… yes, master, I did." WilyKat admitted in a low, ashamed voice._

"_Good, Slithe is no better than those inferior slaves; he deserved punishment for hurting you," The mummy told him. "As long as you and your sister are with me, you will be above them all; you must not regret punishing them if they ever dare to question or hurt you. They deserve no mercy. Don't forget that." Stating this, Mumm-Ra half glided, half floated to his sarcophagus. "Go and rest, my son. You've earned it."_

_WilyKat stood there and watched as Mumm-Ra entered his stone coffin. He considered his master's words for a long time before he went to his chambers. In the end, he decided that his lord was right; he and his sister were better, they really were above everyone else. Only Mumm-Ra, his master, deserved to be above them._

WilyKat pushed the memory aside and stared at his blood-stained fingertips, "Yes, we are better." He muttered, "Much better!"

The young man stood and walked to the exit to his cave. It would be up to him to fix everything. With his master recovering his strength after his defeat, he was the only one who could bring order back to New Thundera, and, if he could get her free from the Thundercats, his sister. All he needed to accomplish that feat was power.

"And there's only one place I can go to get the power and advice I need," Kat whispered to himself. "My lord's Black Pyramid…"

Early the next morning, at Cat's Lair…

Cheetarah regarded the young woman standing in front of her. They were both about the same height now, and she was pretty sure WilyKit was as strong as she was, maybe even stronger. The two females were standing on the middle of the bridge which connected the Lair to the main road, just above the deepest part of the cliff. Noticing the younger woman's cold stare, Cheetarah wondered for the first time if having combat training with WilyKit was a bad idea. In the end, though, her curiosity got the best of her. She wanted to know if the girl's skills had improved or if she was going to need retraining.

"Are you sure you want this?" WilyKit asked, stretching her arms a little. "I don't want to cause you any trouble."

"It should be alright," The older female answered, "Besides, I'm the one who had the idea, right? And don't forget, this is only an exercise"

"I know," Kit sighed, reminding herself not to get too carried away. If she fought Cheetarah in the same way she fought the clay golems Mumm-Ra had her practice against everyday, she could probably cause her some real damage.

"Good, then let's start."

But the fight never began. Just as she was about to make her first move, Cheetarah stopped and looked behind Kit, straight at the main road. She could hear an engine approaching.

Kit also heard the sound, and immediately felt something bad was going to happen, "I wonder what it is?" She asked. "It's getting closer fast."

"In fact, it's here already," Cheetah replied. Just then a rusty hover-bike came into view and in less than three minutes, it stopped a few steps away from her.

The visitor turned out to be a young woman, about the same age as Kit. She was a beautiful girl, with white marks on her attractive features, shiny auburn shoulder-length hair and a slim well developed figure. The devastated expression on her face, however, ruined her appearance.

"What's your name?" Cheetarah asked. "Do you need help?"

"My name is Aliona," the newcomer said with an almost trembling voice, as if she was barely containing her tears. "And my father Pum-Ren was killed last night. I want you to find his killer and make sure justice is served."

Cheetarah placed a hand over Aliona's shoulder, "I'm sorry to hear that… we'll do all we can…. Pum-Ren the farmer? By Claudis, I did meet him once he…"

"Do you know who did it?" WilyKit interrupted, not wanting to waste time with her partner's overly sentimental gibberish.

Aliona frowned and stared hard at Kit, her hands turning into fists as she trembled a little, "Yes, I know who did it."

"Well, then tell us who," WilyKit urged.

"It was your brother, 'Lady' Wilykit!" Aliona exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at the young woman in front of her, "Your damned brother killed my father!"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

To be continued…

Notes:

Special thanks to Adam for beta-reading this chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Thundercats and all related character don't belong to me.

Note:

This story takes place in an Alternate Universe set immediately after the end of 'The Return' miniseries published by Wildstorm comics.

Embracing dark desires.

By

Dr Facer

Chapter 4

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

WilyKit sat in a corner of the still-under-repair council room, where she and the other Thundercats were currently listening to that girl's story about how her father was murdered the night before. Kit was paying close attention to what their guest said and her eyebrow knit anytime she heard her brother mentioned. So far, the only good thing was the confirmation that her twin lived, an assessment she didn't plan on sharing with her team-mates.

The girl's story, however, was upsetting her quite a bit. After listening to most of it, Kits was now sure of one thing: if the farmer was dead, it was his own damn fault. How dare he shoot her brother?!? It was not a surprise that Kat had reacted like that, in fact… Kit had to admit that she probably would have reacted violently as well if someone had shot her…maybe even more violently than her brother…

"And then he jumped out of the window and vanished," Aliona finished, wiping away a tear and trembling a little as she finished her sad tale; she still had trouble thinking of her father as dead, and reliving his murder was something she could hardly bear. "Please… find my dad's killer; I'll do anything, but please…!"

"Don't worry, dear…" Hushed Cheetara, embracing the young woman to offer her some comfort, "We will do all we can, that's what the Thundercats are here for."

"She lied to us," WilyKit said coldly, cutting short Cheetara's soothing words, "my brother couldn't have killed that farmer!"

"That farmer was my father!" Aliona sobbed, "Are you saying the man who lies cold in our home… waiting for his last rites… is not my-my dad?"

"You should pay attention to my words. I didn't say you father was not dead," Kit answered, an annoyed tone in her voice, "I said my brother is not the murderer."

"But…!" The auburn-haired girl looked at Kit and trembled when she met her ice cold stare, "I… I saw him, I'm sure it was him…"

"We know you don't lie, Aliona," Lion-O said, hoping he could stop both girls from starting an argument, "But WilyKit is also telling the truth. You see, her brother is dead. Mumm-Ra killed him right in front of her."

Aliona's eyes fixed on the lord of the Thundercats, "What?"

"Just what Lion-O said," Panthro added, "We all saw it, too. The one who killed your father couldn't have been WilyKat."

"But then who…?" Aliona whispered, "I don't understand…"

"You obviously didn't see the attacker well enough," WilyKit interrupted.

"Do you have something else we could use to find the killer?" Cheetara asked, still cradling Aliona as if she was a mere child, "Anything, no matter how insignificant it seems, could be of great help."

The young woman nodded and, leaving Cheetara's comforting embrace, went to pick up the bag she'd left by the door. "Yes, I do have something," she said, grabbing a gold bracelet from her purse, "The killer first tried to pay for what he stole with this."

"That thing is not enough for you to blame my brother for what happened!" Kit replied in a very angry tone of voice. She had recognized her brother's bracelet as soon as she saw it. It was the definitive proof that her twin lived, and it was also the evidence which could doom him, unless she said something to keep suspicion off Kat's back, "If anything…" Kit started, "it only hints that Mumm-Ra is your killer, not my dead twin! Or are you too obsessed on blaming him to understand that he is gone?"

"Despite her tone of voice, for which I must apologize… the fact is, WilyKit does have a point; we shouldn't forget that Mumm-Ra can take any form he desires," Tygra offered. "It is possible that he disguised himself as her twin, or even summoned a creature that resembled him in order to set a trap for us."

"I have to agree with Tygra on this," Panthro said while thoughtfully scratching his chin, "All this is probably that mummy's doing."

"But Mumm-Ra is defeated!" Aliona said, "Snarf told us that!"

"We did beat him," Cheetara assured, "but he's not gone, not yet."

"Now you see why accusing my brother is insulting?" WilyKit asked, not bothering on keeping her voice down anymore, "I really don't know what you little sla…!"

"Enough!" Lion-O interrupted, "Arguing like this will not get us anywhere. The first thing we have to do is to make sure we honour her father properly." He then looked at the girl and bowed his head slightly, "If it's acceptable Aliona, we would be honoured to be with your family during Pum-Ren's last rites."

"You…want to go?" Aliona blinked, she'd been wishing to disappear when WilyKit yelled at her, but she forgot that as soon as she listened to Lion-O's words. She never expected the lord of the Thundercats to make that offer and she didn't know how to respond, "I mean… the honour will be ours my King… it's more than we deserve and I…I thank you and… my lord… would it be alright if we go now? I promised my mother I wouldn't take long and…"

"I understand." Lion-O then looked at Panthro, "Get our truck ready, Panthro. We're leaving as soon as you're done."

"Of course, there will be no problem," The panther said, "It'll be ready in a minute."

"Good. Can you all please take Aliona to the vehicle?" Lion-O asked, but stopped WilyKit when she passed by his side, "Wait, I have to talk to you."

The young woman didn't allow Lion-O's hand to touch her; as soon as she noticed he intended to grab her by the arm, she stopped and backed up a step. "What is it?" She asked, feeling a sudden burst of hate for him invade her heart. That emotion, however, was replaced by rage almost instantly, and she was glad. Rage she could suppress; hate was much more difficult to contain.

"This is difficult to say, Kit," The young lord started, using a grave, sad voice. "But I am very disappointed by the way you just behaved. That girl lost her father last night!"

"Are you saying I'm supposed to feel happy she's accusing my brother of killing a member of her family?" Kit shot back, "I know I am supposed to help her, but how do you think I feel, listening to what she told us?"

"You were in rage and about to insult her. A Thundercat doesn't do those things."

"So now you want me to tell her I'm sorry?"

"That's up to you to decide," Lion-O replied. "But that would be the right thing to do."

"Apologize..." Kit said, feeling irritated at Lion-O's request; how could he be expecting that someone of her caliber would apologize to one of those inferior slaves? It was insane! Mumm-Ra would never have made her do that, he would never allow such disrespect to her! But he… wasn't here. She didn't live in the Onyx Pyramid anymore. She didn't have her privileges anymore. She had joined the Thundercats again and she had to obey Lion-O. Even if what he was asking her to do was stupid. "I'll think about it during the farmer's funeral."

Lion-O took a deep breath and looked her straight in the eyes, "About that…"

"What?"

"I think…. it will be best if you stay here."

"You don't want me to go?"

"Aliona's family still believes that your brother…"

"I know," Kit cut him off, "That's fine. I didn't want to go anyway."

"You… you didn't?"

"No, I don't. You've already said why. Her family thinks my brother's a killer; if I show up, it will ruin the ceremony. " She explained, hiding the real reason she had for staying at Cat's lair: entering the forest and searching for her twin. "Go and do what you must, I'll be fine."

Lion-O looked at WilyKit for a moment, uncertain of what to say. Kit didn't seem upset about Aliona's story anymore, and that was a very drastic change, considering she'd seemed ready to start yelling her disagreement only minutes before.

"Besides…" Kit continued, "Someone has to stay behind to guard the Lair. I can do that."

"Very well; if you really want to, you can stay on guard duty until we're back.," Lion-O agreed, "But I still want you to apologize to Aliona when you have the chance."

The young woman just nodded and walked out of the room, "Whatever you say. I'm going to the control room."

"Kit…" He called.

"What now?"

"I'm sorry to tell you this, but if WilyKat is alive and he really is the killer… you know what we will have to do…"

"He is dead! Didn't you see what Mumm-Ra did to him?" Kit interrupted; her voice full of so much venom that even Lion-O found it intimidating, "And I don't recall you or the others ever holding a funeral for him, or giving me time to grieve his death!"

"Kit… we…"

"Forget it, Lion-O, there's nothing more to say about it… you should just go, that girl was in a hurry anyway!" She said and then stormed out of the room, not waiting for her lord's reply.

Once alone Lion-O wondered, not for the first time, if Tygra's fears of something being very wrong with WilyKit had some truth behind them. Somewhat worried, the young lord made his way to the garage; he would have to talk with Tygra about Kit later.

"This is a very well kept machine." Panthro told Aliona as he looked at the girl's hover bike, "You made it?"

"I found it in a junkyard. My mother fixed it, she's good with machines."

"She must be very good." The panther said, still looking at the hover bike, "And I can always use a good mechanic."

"What's this?" Cheetara asked, noticing a rather large steel boomerang attached to the side of the bike, "Is it yours?"

Aliona grabbed the weapon and handed it over to the female Thundercat. She felt somewhat uneasy about being the centre of attention, and also guilty for not being with her mother, "It's a family heirloom I got from my late grandfather. I've used it for hunting ever since I learned how to throw it."

Cheetara examined the weapon and one of her eyebrows rose. The boomerang was about a meter and a half of sharp steel, with handles on the inner face of both of its tips; the middle, though, was tightly wrapped with straps of brown leather, "Tygra, look at this weapon."

Tygra, who had been deep in thought a few steps away, approached and reached for the weapon; after one look he too became very interested in it.

"Is something wrong with it?" Aliona asked, "I hope owning weapons is not illegal…"

"It isn't," Tygra reassured her, still holding the boomerang, "Can I remove the leather wrapping?"

"No! I mean… my grandfather told me to never do that… I'm sorry."

"Oh. I see," Tygra said with a small smile, returning the boomerang to the young woman, "It is an interesting weapon. Are you any good with it?"

"I once took care of an Ice Trog all by myself," Aliona said as she strapped the weapon to her back, but soon added nervously, "Of course, I'll never be as good as all of you are… I mean, you're Thundercats and I…"

"I'm sorry to keep you. Are we ready to go?" Lion-O asked as he entered the hangar.

"Yes, we're ready," Panthro said, but then added, "…Where's Kit?"

"She's not coming," The young leader answered with a grave voice, "We will talk about that later. Right now we have other matters to attend."

The rest of the Thundercats nodded in silence, knowing by looking at Lion-O's concerned expression that it would be futile to talk to him right then.

From a window high on the Lair WilyKit watched as the truck faded into the distance. She was not pleased by what had happened, not at all. Who did Lion-O think he was, ordering her to apologize to that miserable farm-girl who came here with her stupid little problems? And what about her so-called friends and comrades? They had all sided with that Aliona bitch without even asking her any questions! They preferred a complete stranger to her! But that wasn't the worst of it. No, the worst was Lion-O, threatening WilyKat right to her face!

"If they chose that girl and if Lion-O threatened my twin… then it must be because they don't really care about me or Kat! Just like Mumm-Ra always said," She murmured, gritting her teeth and balling her hands into fists. "Could it be that lord… that Mumm-Ra knew this was going to happen all along and he wanted me to see it for myself? Could it be that he wanted me to see the Thundercats are still as traitorous as they were before, when they abandoned me and Kat?"

That thought made Kit feel an intense anger, directed at the other Thundercats but especially at Lion-O, who had had the nerve to blame Kat openly for what he did to that farmer. But then again, was it surprising? Ever since they had come back to Cat's Lair, Lion-O had been hesitating to mention her twin, even hinting that he disliked Wily-Kat. But whatever Kat did, she was sure he had his reasons. So what right did they have to judge him? What right did Lion-O think he had to threaten her with what 'they would have to do' to her brother? The answer was easy: He had no right!

"Curse him! How can he judge WilyKat like that? I hate it!" she shouted, slamming her fists on the windowsill so hard that she actually cracked it. Breathing heavily, the young woman managed to calm down and, after a few minutes, she left the lair.

A few hours later:

WilyKit entered the only area of the forest she had never visited before. It was reasonably close to the Lair, but it was covered by incredibly thick vegetation which always drove her off. She was convinced her twin wouldn't chose a place like that to live. This time, however, she felt an imperative need to search here. In a matter of minutes Kit, following only her instincts, arrived at a large tree. Between its roots she saw an opening, a cave of some sorts.

"Is this where you've been hiding, brother?" Kit whispered, as she slid between the long, hanging roots and inside the cave under them. The young woman felt overtaken by emotion once she stepped into the cave, a place which was entirely WilyKat. Once her eyes got used to the dark, she sat down on a bed made of hay and allowed herself to cry a little.

"You're really alive, Kat! But why did you hide from me, why didn't you try to see me or contact me?"

It didn't take long before WilyKit found the answer to her question, "Because I'm a Thundercat now." She muttered, touching the insignia she had attached to her belt days ago. "He probably fears I'll arrest him, but I would never…" It was useless, and she knew it. WilyKat probably considered her an enemy. Well, even if he thought of her that way, she was not going to let the Thundercats capture him if she could help it. Besides, she had the feeling her brother was never going to come back to this cave. He knew he would be a wanted man; and judging for what she saw in the cave: a miserable bed made of hay, some power cells tossed on the floor, and other things she could only call trash, it seemed her twin lived worse than a beggar. Something that, of course, she truly believed he didn't deserve.

Anxious to meet her brother again and hoping against hope for Kat's return, WilyKit waited until the light that filtered trough the cave's entrance started to fade. The sun was setting, marking the time to go back to Cat's Lair. Fearing her team-mates were already at the base, ready to question her about the things she had been doing, the young woman rushed all the way back to her home. Unfortunately for her, she met Cheetara at the Lair's bridge.

"You went to the forest again," Cheetara said staring at the younger woman with curiosity, "It's almost sunset; what were you doing there, is it something we should know about?"

"I'm not doing anything wrong; I don't have any secrets." Kit lied, "I-I actually go there because… when Kat and I were kids… we used to play there. I go there when I want to remember him."

"And I guess you had to remember him today?" Cheetara observed, "I understand you miss him, but you can't leave the Lair unguarded. You were on watch duty."

"I'm really sorry." Kit apologized, "It's just that after what happened, I couldn't stop thinking about him."

"I see… don't worry, we'll find that killer."

"I know. Are the others back already?" Kit asked, hoping she could change the topic.

"Not yet. The others are still helping out at Aliona's farm." Cheetara explained, "I decided to come back early."

"They're still there? I thought you only went to the funeral." Kit said, intrigued.

"Well, that family needs all the help they can get right now. I think Lion-O is doing the right thing by helping them as much as he can."

For an instant, WilyKit thought it was unfair Lion-O could go anywhere without being questioned, while she was interrogated about her activities every single day. That angered her, but she managed to remain calm, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"We'll be having a full moon tonight." The cheetah announced, looking at the darkening sky and apparently finally deciding to drop the previous topic "It's been years since I've seen one."

WilyKit shook a little and felt a drop of hot sweat slide slowly down her neck, "Full moon?" She asked, cursing herself for forgetting about it, "T-t-tonight?"

"Of course, don't you like it?" Cheetara said, planning on spending some time watching it with Panthro, "I'm really looking forward to it."

"I see… good for you two." Kit said with a dry voice, "I'm tired, I'll be on my room."

"Fine, but I expect you to report early tomorrow; we're going to have a busy day."

"Yes, of course," WilyKit said, wiping away the hot sweat that was forming in her forehead, "I'm going now, I need to lie down." Saying no more, the young woman rushed to her room.

Somewhere else, Tygra focused on driving the truck. At his side, Lion-O sat in silence, his eyes closed and his mind lost in thought; in the back, Panthro was drowsing off and a very tired Snarf slept.

"Remember you told me something was wrong with WilyKit?" Lion-O asked suddenly.

"Yes, I remember," Tygra answered, "Why?"

"I think you're right," The young leader admitted, "And I would like to know what it is so we can help her. Do you have any idea what exactly is the matter with Kit?"

"I'm not sure myself, Lion-O." Tygra said, "But I believe it is related to whatever Mumm-Ra did to her when he had her."

"We could ask Cheetara to use her power, she could look into it."

"I don't think she would agree to do it," Tygra argued, "Not for something like that."

"…Yes, you're probably right." Lion-O closed his eyes again and remained silent for a few minutes, "Tygra?"

"What is it?"

"Since she won't openly talk to you or me… do you think there's any other way to find out what's happening to her?"

"Ask Cheetara to talk to her," Tygra advised, "She might not want to use her psychic powers to see the past, but she's the only one of us WilyKit still seems to respect."

WilyKit sat alone in her locked room, staring at the full moon through her open window. Now that she knew her brother lived, her concern for him had practically vanished, replaced by the hope of meeting him soon. Her brother, however, was not in her mind right then. What troubled her, what made her ignore the arrival of the other Thundercats hours ago and had her feeling completely miserable was the memory of someone else, someone she had tried to forget but apparently would never be able to.

"Amon-Ra… the Pharaoh…" She whispered the name and closed her eyes; she had tried to erase him from her mind, to forget what he had done to her, to convince herself that she could live without seeing him every full moon. She had tried in her mind. Her body, however, was not ready to forget and would probably never be.

"Damn it…why?" WilyKit whispered, unable to stop the tears. She wanted to feel unclean, to feel used, degraded. But she couldn't, thinking about him and the things they did only made her feel a burning desire all over her body, and she hated herself for it. Unable to stop the need, but not willing to give in, the tortured WilyKit closed the window and curled into a ball under her sheets, hoping that in her dreams she could escape the lust that threatened to consume her.

And she did have a dream, a dream of the first time she met Amon-Ra.

_WilyKit, now a young adult, entered the cauldron room and stood very still until Mumm-Ra, who was gazing at the ever-bubbling waters decided to address her. She didn't know what the wizard wanted, but she wasn't expecting anything pleasant._

"_Welcome, my dear," the mummy said, motioning for Kit to come closer to the cauldron, "Here, look at this."_

_What Kit saw in the waters was nothing new: a group of Thunderian slaves working under the orders of a squad of mutants. Still, there was one difference: the slaves were busy decorating and carrying supplies into the largest temple of the Capital City._

"_What is going on, my lord?" The young woman asked._

"_We will be having visitors tonight." Mumm-Ra announced, "They are very special guests, the king and queen of the planet Narcissus. I'm interested in starting trade with them. That is why the slaves are preparing my temple for the dinner I will be offering in the honour of our guests. Unfortunately, there is one problem…"_

_Kit waited in silence, knowing very well that was what the ever living wizard expected._

"…_Our guests would never agree to negotiate with someone of my… appearance; they also expect this planet to be ruled by a royal couple as well."_

_WilyKit didn't move, but she really didn't like what Mumm-Ra was hinting at._

"_Because of that, you will have to act as the queen for tonight. And since you've become quite the beautiful woman, I'm sure our guests will be very pleased with you. I won't be able to go like this, but I believe Amon-Ra will be a suitable partner for you. The negotiations shouldn't take too long, so don't worry, it will all end soon."_

"_My lord… I don't think I can…"_

"_I've taught you how to fight and how to act as a woman of noble blood; you shouldn't have any trouble with this," The mummy assured her. "Now go and get ready: take a bath, choose your best nightdress and jewellery and come back here by sunset."_

_The girl bowed slightly and prepared to go and get ready, but her master's hand on her shoulder stopped her._

"_Don't go thinking anything stupid, little slave." The ever living being warned, "You will not drop subtle hints about the Thundrainium mines or anything else; remember your brother will stay here and it would be a shame if something bad happened to him." _

_WilyKit nodded and, swallowing her fear, returned to her room._

"_What's the big occasion?" WilyKat asked, leaning on the door frame, watching as her sister, gorgeous in her finest white dress, finished choosing a necklace and earrings._

"_I'm supposed to play queen tonight in front of Mumm-Ra's guests," She answered, "A man called Amon-Ra will be acting as king."_

_Kat frowned, "I've read about him. It is strange that the master is calling for him."_

"_Tell me all you know, is he a crazy warrior or something?"_

"_No. According to the ancient scrolls I've read, Amon-Ra was one of Mumm-Ra's rivals. He was a Pharaoh, and is believed to be one of the most handsome men to ever live in Third Earth." WilyKat explained. "He was also a wizard, and he perfected a spell called the Sun Glare. He tried to gain the favour of the Ancient Spirits of Evil, but Mumm-Ra killed him and stole his soul." _

"_At least he should be good looking." WilyKit said unenthusiastically, "What is that Sun Glare thing, what does it do?"_

"_Remember Tashi and her Doom Gaze spell?" Kat asked, "Well, the Sun Glare is similar, but a lot stronger. It can influence and completely control anyone regardless of gender."_

"_If that stupid trick is all he had, it's no surprise our master destroyed him," Kit said, finally deciding on a set of gold and emerald necklace and studs, "Do you think this looks good? I don't want to have to change if Mumm-Ra dislikes it."_

"_You look marvellous, Kit; I'm sure the master will approve."_

"_Thank you," she answered, "Well, let's do this… and Kat? Don't worry, I'll do my best, lord Mumm-Ra won't be angry at us."_

_Offering her a small smile as his answer, the young Thunderian watched in silence as his sister walked away. WilyKat didn't say it, but he was worried for her sister, like he always felt when she was sent on missions for the master._

_Mumm-Ra was speechless when he saw her enter the cauldron room. Dressed in white, with her fiery red hair picked up in an elegant style and her beautiful features brought out with only the slightest touch of makeup, the slave he had always ordered around had turned into a woman of a brilliant, exotic beauty._

"_Is this fine, my lord?" She asked, avoiding eye contact with the wizard._

"_My dear girl, you are a vision!" Mumm-Ra replied, "I am pleased indeed. You look __like a queen and if you behave like one, you will make a fine escort tonight."_

"_Where is this Amon-Ra person, sire?" WilyKit asked, she knew it was madness, but __she had enjoyed hearing Mumm-Ra's praise and that scared her._

"_Don't worry, my dear; he will be here in an instant." The wizard replied and, stretching out his arms, he began his transformation chant._

"_Oh crap," Kit whispered. She had thought Mumm-Ra would summon a ghost to go with her; instead, her master was taking the form of the dead Pharaoh Amon-Ra. Just the thought of having Mumm-Ra at her side during the event and pretending to be her wife was making her feel sick; but, when the wizard's transformation ended with a bolt of light and she saw the form of Amon-Ra, all of her fears evaporated._

_In front of her stood a man with body and features so perfect all of him appeared to have been chiselled out of raw stone. His tanned skin glistered under the dim lights and his elegant robes left no doubt that this man was indeed a king. When he looked at her with his deep black eyes, WilyKit couldn't help but feel immediately attracted to him in a way she had never been to any other man, ready to do anything he asked of her. Only the knowledge that this was actually Mumm-Ra in disguise helped her break free of the charming influence that seemed to radiate out of him._

"_Good evening." Amon-Ra greeted, walking up to her, his voice an alluring song that almost managed to make WilyKit swoon in his arms, "I was unaware such a lovely lady would be escorting me tonight."_

"_I-I know you're really Mumm-Ra…" WilyKit answered, "Shouldn't we…be leaving?"_

"_Yes, of course," Amon-Ra laughed, his eyes glowing red for an instant, "I just wanted to make this easier for you, little slave… shall we?" he asked, offering her his arm. _

_Trying to feel hatred and loathing, WilyKit accepted the arm he offered and found she could only feel a growing, primal desire. What the hell was Mumm-Ra doing to her?_

"_Don't worry; I won't do anything you don't ask me for." The wizard assured, "So be very mindful of what you say."_

"_I will," She promised._

_WilyKit had to admit that the dinner had been… enjoyable. The queen of Narcissus had been incredibly friendly, and the luxury, the fine food, the several Thunderian maidens and Mutant servants willing to follow her orders without a question… all of those were things she could definitely have every day._

"_I must say I had my reservations," Queen Narciss, a beautiful middle-aged woman, admitted once the dinner was over. She and WilyKit had been left alone while Amon-Ra and the Narcissus King negotiated the trade agreement._

"_Excuse me?" Kit asked._

"_Well, considering you and your king are fairly young, I expected you would have trouble keeping your subjects in line. But I'm glad to see I was mistaken. Seeing the ugly mutants serve outside, while only the pretty girls work here in the temple is most pleasing," Queen Narciss explained, "In my world, only those who are intelligent, strong and beautiful have the right to rule, while the ugly should be in charge of the lesser works that would otherwise ruin the beauty of our more fortunate subjects. I find it wonderful to see you and your husband have a similar way of thinking."_

"_I respect your point of view, your majesty. But apparently, what it is law in your world, happened by chance in ours." Kit said, wondering what the queen would do if she ever saw Mumm-Ra's true form, "I believe that above beauty, power and knowledge are what should determine who deserves to be the ruler."_

"_Is that so?" The queen asked, suddenly turning sour._

"_But if that person is also beautiful, then even better!" Kit quickly added, trying to lighten up the conversation; it was her duty to keep the queen in a good mood, and for her brother's sake, she couldn't fail, "Don't you agree?"_

"_Of course I do!" The queen smiled._

_After that, WilyKit continued chatting with the queen for what seemed to be hours until finally, both King Narciss and Amon-Ra entered the large room their women were at. Their meeting proved to be successful, and Mumm-Ra managed to get what he wanted. _

_Later that night, not too long after the King and Queen of Narcissus left for their planet, WilyKit stood alone in the balcony of the great temple's uppermost chamber. She was gazing at the full moon, trying to convince herself that the growing attraction she felt for Amon-Ra was nothing but her imagination. So far she had not been very successful and that angered her. Being attracted to Mumm-Ra only because he took the form of a handsome young boy was bad, but not being able to do anything about it was much, much worse._

"_WilyKit…" A female voice called._

"_What do you want?" Kit demanded, annoyed by the interruption._

"_Mumm-Ra is asking for you." The maid said with a timid and scared whisper, "He… __he wants to see you at once."_

"_Thank you," Kit said and entered the temple again, but stopped once she was at the maid's side, "You'd better remember to address me correctly next time we meet." She warned, "You and I are not the same. You are a slave and I am a Lady, don't you ever forget that."_

_The Thunderian stared at Kit with a shocked expression in her face, "I thought you only acted like this when that horrible wizard was around… You're a Thundercat, what is happening to you?"_

_Kit frowned, remembering the Thundercats really exasperated her, "I'm not one of them anymore, you stupid slave! And if you know what's good for you, you'll shut the hell up and go back to your little house before something bad happens. Understand?" _

_Terrified by the warning, the maid nodded and hastily left the chamber._

_It didn't take long for Kit to enter the room she knew Mumm-Ra was waiting in and once she closed the door behind her, she finally saw her master: he was standing by the open window, still in his Amon-Ra form, looking at her in a very appreciative manner. As soon as she felt his eyes on her, WilyKit felt the irrational, burning attraction return; she focused on fighting it, but it only grew stronger as she approached her master's side._

"_Welcome, my dear," The beautiful young man greeted, "Or should I call you queen? You seemed to enjoy being called that earlier."_

"_Why did you request me, my lord?" she asked, stopping a mere step away from him and avoiding looking him in the eye._

"_I wanted to congratulate you for a job well done." The wizard said, placing a hand on WilyKit's nude shoulder and smiling discreetly when he noticed her shudder. "What would you like in return? A new dress, more jewels, a statue in your honour?"_

_The young woman felt a wave of delicious cold that mitigated the heat which had invaded her the moment her master's hand touched her. She couldn't help but shiver at the sensation, and wasn't surprised when she realized she wanted to feel more of it._

"_No… I don't want that," She whispered, "I… really don't know what I… want…"_

"_Perhaps this will help you." The ever living being said as he caressed both of Kit's arms with just his fingertips, "do you like it?"_

_WilyKit wanted to shout no, but her mouth remained shut and all she could do was to emit a pleasure filled moan. This only encouraged the wizard to be bolder. He slid his hands from her arms to her hips. Trembling, both in fear and in pleasure as the coolness of her master's hands kept her burning desire at bay, the young woman could not offer any more resistance and allowed herself to be pulled into a cold, pleasing embrace, "I… I like it."_

"_Then stop holding back!" The wizard ordered once he had WilyKit in his arms, "You will feel better if you do; you will feel free, don't you want to feel free?" _

"_Yes… I want to feel free…" She said in a low distant voice, her eyes closed as she leaned into Amon-Ra's slim, muscular body and abandoning herself to instinct. WilyKit began to shamelessly run her hands all over his chest, seeking to increase the skin to skin contact with that cold body which extinguished the flames consuming her._

"_Are you afraid?" The ever living being asked, sinking his fingers in the soft hair of the Thunderian female, "Do you want me to stop?"_

_WilyKit's eyes turned glassy and she smiled a docile smile; she didn't have the will to fight it anymore, all she wanted was more of that delicious cold, "No… I'm not afraid and I… don't want to stop… I want you to… stop the heat inside me…" _

_Mumm-Ra grinned at his triumph, the girl's resolve was broken; she would finally be his to do as he pleased both physically and mentally. Interesting that all he had to do was to take on the form of one of his dead rivals and use the Sun Glare, a spell he had deemed worthless. Still smiling, the handsome wizard brought his lips forward, kissing the young woman in his arms with a passion unfitting a living dead._

_WilyKit felt tears rolling down her face; she knew this was wrong and a small part of her hated herself for not stopping. Unfortunately, she could not stop, because she just felt too good to even try. And, when she allowed Amon-Ra's hands to undo the strings of her dress, when she allowed him to see her as the dress pooled at her feet, when she allowed him to embrace her nude body and finally allowed him to enter her and drag her into a world of lust and pleasure she had never imagined existed…she realized that redemption was beyond her, that redemption was something she would never, ever have. But right then, as her pleasure peaked and she swore her body and soul to him for all eternity, redemption was something she didn't care about._

This was the dream WilyKit had, a dream so vivid she could see his handsome face, feel his cool breath, and feel his cold hands carve memories against her burning skin. And by the end of the dream, she woke up drenched in sweat, trembling and missing him desperately. She had her face buried in a tear soaked pillow, drawn up with her knees beneath her in fetal position. Her right hand was clenched between her thighs and it pressed hard against her most special place. As she reached her climax she called his name in a broken whisper.

"Amon-Ra…"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

To be continued…

Notes: I'm pretty sure all of you know this, but for those who don't remember, Tashi appeared in the Thundercats episode 'Doom Gaze', way back in season one.

Once again, special thanks to Adam for beta-reading this chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Thundercats and all related character don't belong to me.

Note:

This story takes place in an Alternate Universe set immediately after the end of 'The Return' miniseries published by Wildstorm comics.

Embracing dark desires.

By

Dr Facer

Chapter 5

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Black clouds covered the night sky, sinking the deadly desert in a complete darkness, with only fierce and unnatural lightning providing occasional bursts of light. But the young man who ran across this desert didn't need light of any kind; his sharp night vision and the fact he had memorized the route to his destination allowed him safe passage through these barren lands.

Though tired almost to exhaustion, he had arrived faster than he had expected and he gazed at the massive, black triangular structure with fondness and admiration. Taking a moment to recover his breath WilyKat finally made his way to the walls of the Onyx Pyramid. It didn't surprise him to find nothing where the door should have been; he knew his master hid the doors with a magic spell, granting entrance into his sanctuary only to those he chose. What did surprise him, however, was the fact the doors didn't open for him as soon as he approached.

"Why?" he muttered, sliding a hand over the cold stone wall, "Why can't I get in?"

Despite the question, Kat knew very well why his master wouldn't let him in. He had asked for his freedom, and Mumm-Ra granted him that wish. He was free, and that meant he was no longer needed here. WilyKat couldn't deny that for years he had wanted this to happen, but that was before seeing what his world would turn into without Mumm-Ra ruling over it: a place where the slaves didn't respect their betters, a place where those liars who betrayed him could pretend to rule when they didn't have the intelligence to do so! Kat hated this new world; he wanted things back the way they were before Lion-O returned.

"Why are you here?" Mumm-Ra demanded, his voice rumbling suddenly from inside the pyramid, startling Kat a little, "Didn't you want me to let you and your sister go free?"

"Yes, I know that is what I asked," Kat admitted. "And I appreciate that you granted my request, master. But now things have changed and something has to be done about it!"

No sound came from inside the pyramid after that, all which could be heard amidst the darkness, was the howling of the wind, seemingly mocking the young Thunderian as he stood waiting for his answer.

Finally, Mumm-Ra's voice filled the night again, "Something has to be done?" He asked, feigned ignorance in his voice, "About what?"

"About the Thunderian slaves and their lack of respect! But most of all something has to be done about my sister! I don't want her to be with the Thundercats anymore!" Kat shouted angrily, "But I… I can't do it alone! I don't have… enough power to even try."

Mumm-Ra's voice remained silent for what seemed an eternity, but suddenly it was heard again, "Come inside."

Slowly, the doors of the Onyx Pyramid opened and, without hesitation, the young man entered the black fortress. He moved quickly through the dimly lit corridors and halls; and when he entered the cauldron room, WilyKat was filled with a strong sensation of belonging unlike anything he had ever felt, not even when he had lived in Cat's Lair before entering Mumm-Ra's service.

"Welcome back, my son," Mumm-Ra greeted him. The ever-living mage stood by his cauldron and looked at Kat with a pleased smile, "Welcome home."

The young man smiled as well when he heard those words. He had to accept their truth; this pyramid where he had spent so many years was his home, his true home. And he could not deny that he had missed being called "son".

"Thank you... my lord. It's… it's good to be back," WilyKat admitted and dropped to one knee, waiting for his master's response.

"What made you change your mind?" The mage inquired, "Only a few days ago all you cared about was leaving the pyramid and abandoning your role as my apprentice."

Kat hissed, memories of the humiliation he had endured lately filling his mind, "You want to know what?" he asked, raising his voice, "They're indoctrinating my sister into that stupid code of theirs again, and look at my shoulder! One of those slaves actually dared to shoot me!"

"Yes, I know," Mumm-Ra replied calmly, "I've been watching over you all this time, my son. That is the only reason why the Eye of Thundera has not spotted you yet."

"You… you have?"

"Did you think you could avoid detection from the sword by yourself?" The mummy asked. "I placed a spell on you… to protect you until you saw for yourself how much this world needs us… even if I didn't know whether you would come back to me or not, after what you did on that farm… but I don't blame you, son. I told you once those slaves did not deserve mercy didn't I? Don't worry about that, you did the right thing there."

WilyKat took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. Mumm-Ra had been looking after him… even thought he had left, the wizard had been trying to protect him from those traitorous Thundercats; but the most important thing was that Mumm-Ra didn't blame him for killing the farmer, didn't call him a killer. Mumm-Ra actually told him that he did right. And that made him feel good.

"You've seen how things are decomposing under Lion-O's rule," Mumm-Ra said as he placed his dry, cold hand on Kat's shoulder and healed his burned flesh. This startled the young Thunderian, who wasn't expecting it. "And you know what he and the others are doing to your sister, don't you? You said it yourself. She is being indoctrinated."

"I know!" Kat answered with an angry whisper.

"You want to save her, don't you? You want to make things the way they were before the Thundercats rebelled against me."

"Yes."

The mummy smiled, "Are you ready to do whatever it takes to achieve that?"

"I am," Kat vowed as he took a deep breath, "As long as I can free my sister... I am ready to do anything… no matter what it is."

"Good!" Mumm-Ra answered, his eyes glowing more brightly for a second as he stared with a pleased smile at the young man before him. "You are finally ready to begin your real training, son. And very soon you will be strong enough to recover your sister."

"What do I have to do, master?"

The mage pointed a finger to one of the dark corridors, "Go to your room. Tonight, you sleep," he ordered, "Tomorrow, when you are rested, I shall tell you."

"Why can't we start now?"

"A weakened boy can't do what is needed!" The mummy scolded. "We could begin right now, but you would certainly die in the process. Is that what you want, to die before you can help your sister?"

"No… I…"

"There's something else you must think about, my son," Mumm-Ra announced, interrupting the confused WilyKat, "Your sister joined the Thundercats on her own. What will you do if she chooses to stay with them?"

"She won't!" Kat shouted, anger filling him at the mere thought of her sister preferring Lion-O and the others above him. "She would never betray ME, never!"

"Perhaps," the mummy allowed. "But the Thundercats will not give her up without a fight, that I can assure you."

"I know… and that is why you must help me!" The young Thunderian begged, "I need power and you can give it to me! Train me to be a wizard! I know I can be one!"

"You are in no condition to learn," the mage said as he floated to his sarcophagus, "If you want power, you will wait until tomorrow. Now go and rest."

"But master!"

"I said tomorrow!" The ancient wizard growled as he entered his sarcophagus.

WilyKat stood there for several minutes, staring at Mumm-Ra's sarcophagus with a defeated expression on his face. Eventually, the exhaustion he'd felt when he arrived to the Onyx Pyramid started to bite at his body: his eyes were closing and his arms and legs felt like lead. Still frustrated at his master's refusal to start teaching him right away, Kat slowly made his way to his chambers.

The next day, in Cat's Lair…

WilyKit sat alone at the edge of the forest behind the Lair. It was still very early, and ever since she woke up that morning she had been avoiding every other Thundercat, hoping none of them would try to talk to her or ask her if something was wrong.

And that was why she was here. Even if she knew WilyKat no longer lived there, knowing that her twin had been so close to her for a while was reassuring for her. And trying to figure out where his brother was now helped her clear her mind of other things; mainly the feeling of need that still lingered all over her body. Kit shivered a little. She never imagined that being deprived of that which made all her full moon nights so… interesting would make her feel so miserable.

"…Amon-Ra…" she murmured. Feeling her skin yearning for his touch, the young female closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. She had to stop thinking about her lover… Kit sighed; there she was again, allowing her mind to separate Mumm-Ra and Amon-Ra into two different entities. She started doing that the morning after he took her maidenhood; it helped her deal better with what had happened, and she kept doing it if only because it masked the fact that the person she desired the most was also the one she wanted to escape from. At least it had been that way until Lion-O returned. Now, she was filled with doubt about her actions. Did she do the right thing, joining the Thundercats and abandoning her master?

The young woman picked up a pebble and tossed it at a bird for no real reason other than she found its singing loathsome, and it interrupted her thoughts. She almost hit it, almost. The fact she wished she had didn't bother her at all.

"That was cruel!" A female voice said, "What did the bird do?"

WilyKit sighed and turned to face Cheetara, who was still a few steps away, "I was only trying to scare it away," she objected, "Its singing was obnoxious."

"You used to love to listen to the birds sing," the older female recalled as she sat right down in the sunlight. WilyKit seemed to be evading her by sitting in the shadows. She found that she didn't like that, it made the younger Thunderian look somber and most of all, very, very sad.

"I don't like it anymore."

"Oh." Cheetara stared silently at Kit for a second, "Why don't you come here, don't you get cold, sitting in the shadows?"

"I'm fine here. Thank you."

"Are you sure? The sun feels great, you know?"

"I told you I'm fine here! Is there something you wanted to talk to me about?" Kit asked, cutting the older Thundercat off.

"Not really," Cheetara said, deciding not to push Kit any further. "But there is something I have to tell you."

"What?"

"Lion-O said he wants you to go with him to the city today."

"He said that I can go?"

"Yes. He and Tygra have business there with the people doing the rebuilding. They think it's about time you get to see the changes we're making."

"I guess it is," The young woman said and stood up, "That is good news. I'll go and get ready. Thank you."

Cheetara just watched WilyKit go, wistfully wishing for her to be the cheerful and confident girl she remembered fondly. For the Cheetah, seeing the girl like this; so changed, so different, but most of all so unstable… it was unfathomable.

"What did Mumm-Ra do to her?" She whispered once she was alone; and, not daring to think about the answer to that question, Cheetara just stared silently at the forest.

A few hours later…

Tygra parked the truck near downtown, the commercial area of the city. WilyKit, on her part, hadn't dared to look out of the vehicle during the ride there. She wasn't sure if she would like the changes that Lion-O had been so enthusiastically describing to her.

She somehow had the feeling that as soon as she looked out, she would feel like a stranger in an unknown land, a stranger with no power over the people living here. She didn't like that feeling, especially because not even a month ago, she could get everything she wanted with only a few words. Less than a month ago she had possessed the power, the authority to do anything she wanted as long as she stayed by the master's side. Less than a month ago, no one but Mumm-Ra could deny her. But now… the mere thought of going out there, powerless, just to be judged by everybody… it was… intimidating.

"Are you alright?" Lion-O asked suddenly, "I thought you wanted to come with us."

"I'm fine. I was just thinking."

"Let me show you some of the changes we're making," Tygra offered, "I'm sure you'll love them."

The girl glanced at the older Thundercat and hesitantly got off the truck.

What WilyKit saw once she was on the street and looked around shook her to the core. The fronts of most of the buildings was different, with lines and curves that were very much Thunderian in style. Most of the familiar, Egyptian architecture Mumm-Ra had favored, and that she had grown so accustomed to, was gone. And his gigantic statue at the outskirts of the city was nowhere to be seen; in fact, she couldn't see any of the mummy's busts which had once adorned the streets. The only edifice her master had built which still stood was the royal temple she used to play Queen for him at. Her eyes fixated on that distant building, feeling it was the only thing that made sense in this city anymore.

"I hope you like the restoration work; that horrid, giant statue was the first thing we demolished," Lion-O explained. "We also got rid of the rest of his imagery. Such abomination had no place in my world."

WilyKit didn't say anything. She just kept staring at the temple, ignoring the people who stared at them. She definitively didn't like this new city; but at least her temple was still standing. It was her temple; she considered it her property since the first night she and Amon-Ra…

"There are still things to do, like bringing down that large building over there," Tygra pointed out. "But I've already started working on that. If all goes well, the explosive charges will be set tomorrow afternoon."

"You want to demolish the temple?" WilyKit asked, "Why?"

"Mumm-Ra built it." Lion-O answered, "That's reason enough; we don't know for what evil purposes did he have such a large temple here."

"Is that the only reason you have to bring it down?" The young woman said with a low hoarse voice, "Have you even been inside the temple? A building that big could certainly be useful to us."

"I haven't entered that place." Lion-O admitted, "Actually, no Thundercat has."

"It's just not in good condition," the tiger said, "The people ravaged it once they were freed from the mines. I can't blame them, though; it represents the tyrannical government that oppressed us all for years; that reason alone is enough to destroy that building, it is like an open wound that we must close."

WilyKit looked more carefully at the temple, finally noticing that indeed, it was damaged; the only apparent harm was in the parapets on the many balconies, which were smashed completely. Kit frowned as she imagined what those barbaric slaves did to the majestic halls and ballrooms of the temple.

"We should be going," Lion-O ordered. "We have a meeting with the Steward of the city to discuss a few aspects of the reconstruction."

"Indeed," Tygra agreed, "Let's make haste."

"I'm sorry, but I'm not interested in that," WilyKit answered, still looking at the great temple, "I'm sure you can handle that without me… if you don't mind, I would like to walk around by myself for a while."

"Will you be alright?" Lion-O asked.

"Yes, I will," She assured him. "I just want to look around, is that so wrong?"

Lion-O sighed. He had planned to spend the whole day with Kit in order to gain her trust again, hoping that would help her feel better. But perhaps… letting her go on her own could help her see that things were actually improving and that she didn't have to feel like an outcast anymore.

"Of course not!" the young king said. "Go and have a good time. We'll meet here again in a couple of hours, okay?"

WilyKit nodded and saying nothing else, started to walk in the direction of the temple.

"Are you sure that's wise?" Tygra asked once the young female was out of earshot.

"She has to see that we're doing the right thing," the lord answered, "I trust she will feel better once she sees how happy the people are now."

"I hope you're right, Lion-O." the tiger whispered in a concerned voice, "I really hope so."

A few minutes later…

WilyKit walked silently in the middle of a very crowded street, ignoring as best as she could the accusing looks the people were giving her, as well as the insulting whispers they were probably sharing. It angered her that she couldn't do anything about it, but as long as nobody stood in her way, she should be able to handle it. Focused as she was on ignoring everything, Kit didn't notice the three young men who started following her.

"Pathetic!" She muttered, giving a fleeting look at the miserable vendors and their customers. They still dressed like slaves and they certainly still had the manners fitting their low category, gossiping behind her back and staring at her like if she was a demon. Yes, they were pathetic.

Finally, she arrived to the temple. A gasp escaped her lips once she saw what they had done to it. The magnificent white doors lay wrecked on the large steps, the walls were burned and dirty, every window was broken, looking at the streets like black, void eyes. Wondering how much damage was caused to the inside, WilyKit entered the temple.

The young woman moved slowly through the halls of the temple's first floor. Staring angrily at the damage done to the once pristine and luxurious furniture and carpets… everything was destroyed. And then she arrived to the inner garden where she intended to climb the stairs to the next level. The garden was, of course, ruined. The black lotus flowers Mumm-Ra planted there were burned, and the stairs had collapsed for a reason unknown to her, but that wasn't the worst. What angered her most was what she saw when she searched for her statue and that of her brother, the ones Mumm-Ra had made for them as a gift, the ones he had placed on each side of the inner stairs. She found both statues ruined, crushed into an unrecognizable puzzle of rubble. But worse were the words scribbled under the pedestal their statues had been at: 'Traitors to the Thundercats'

"Those cursed slaves…!" Kit said with a low, low hiss, "So this is what they think about me and my brother? That we're traitors? They don't know anything! They…"

Infuriated, WilyKit stood there, in front of the garden, futilely trying to understand how everyone could be so wrong… how those slaves could be thinking they were better than her and her twin… and failing miserably.

The young woman was about to give in to her rage, as she so dearly wanted to. Only a tremendous effort was keeping her from screaming her heart out, demanding that the slaves outside rebuild her temple. But she knew no one would obey, because she had no power over them anymore. And she hated it.

It took WilyKit several minutes to feel calm enough to leave the temple. Even then she was still burning with anger. All she wanted was to go and sit in the truck until Lion-O decided to go back to the lair.

But she didn't get that wish.

Just as she stepped out of the temple, something hit the side of her head; something soft that spread a sticky juice over her neck and left shoulder, a sticky juice that had the raunchy smell of putrefaction. She touched her neck, only to find her hand wet with what she guessed were the remains of a rotten fruit. Slowly, the furious woman turned to see who had dared to offend her like that. It was then that other fruit hit her, this time in her nose, filling her world with stench. Before she could move, three more putrid vegetables hit her, two in the chest and one in the arm.

Wiping the disgusting mess off her face, WilyKit immediately found the ones who had attacked her: three young Thunderian males; they were laughing at her, and each one of them held a fruit ready to throw in his hand. A crowd was quickly gathering behind them, some of them were smirking, and a few were actually laughing.

"You should thank us, traitor!" one of the three men who attacked her shouted. "Now you're as rotten on the outside as you are on the inside!"

"That smell should be familiar, no?" another said. "The rotten stench of your master's pyramid!"

"And why is a traitor like her wearing that symbol?" asked a third Thunderian. "We should make her take it off!"

WilyKit spat to clean her mouth of the horrid taste the fruit left her with and glared at the three offenders. Her patience was about to run out, and she knew that if she abandoned herself to the rage that was boiling inside her she could easily kill the three slaves insulting her. And, much to her surprise, she discovered that she really wanted to; nobody should insult her like this! Mumm-Ra always told her how superior she was compared to these… these miserable beings in front of her.

But she couldn't do anything. She was a Thundercat again and… she knew this was going to happen sooner or later: the judgment of the other Thunderians. But the fact she knew it would happen didn't mean she thought she deserved it, or that she liked it.

"She once told me we are not the same as her and that she was no longer a Thundercat!" A young woman yelled, "She said she was a Lady, and that I was just a stupid slave!"

"See? She is a traitor!" an old Thunderian of the tiger clan screamed, "She has no right to wield the emblem, none at all! King Lion-O should have her exiled!"

The crow started to yell 'Traitor!' rhythmically, getting closer to her every time. That didn't bother Kit; all she had to do was to get away before something really angered her...

And then, that something happened.

A very solid object hit her in the head. The impact stunned her and she staggered back until she hit the temple walls, not believing that someone would actually dare to hurt her. This was unbearable! It could not be! How could these miserable worms have the courage to do this to her? Was it because Lion-O was back?

As she asked herself that question, Kit saw images of Lion-O: interrupting her when she wanted to search for her brother, accusing her twin of treachery and murder, threatening him to her face, stopping her from getting all she wanted… It was clear now. All this was Lion-O's fault; his return was the only reason why the slaves dared to treat her like this, his return was the reason why she had lost everything: her twin brother, her power… because of him, she had nothing!

Then, while still fighting off the dizziness, blood trailing down her pretty face, she felt a hand grab her violently by the shoulder and push her hard against the stone wall. She ignored the person who grabbed her, and instead reached to her forehead with a trembling hand, only to see her fingers stained red.

"Yes, you are bleeding, traitor," the man who had grabbed her confirmed. "And it is nothing compared to what you deserve."

WilyKit, still shocked by the fact that the slaves actually dared to wound her, looked at the man holding her. She saw a middle aged male with a scarred face who stared at her with disgusted eyes. The young woman noticed the claw mark on the man's robe and recognized him immediately.

"A rebel…" she whispered. "You're one of… Pummyra's band of rebels…"

"It seems the stone I threw at you didn't affect your memory," he mocked as the crowd behind him watched in silence. "You seem to be doing well… you are with the Thundercats again, they even gave you an emblem, though you don't deserve it."

"The rock… you threw it?" Kit hissed, "You hurt me?"

"It's not half what you deserve!" he shouted, "You and your cursed twin helped those mutants to hunt us all down!"

The man slammed Kit into the wall again, "And for what, for Mumm-Ra? You little piece of garbage, you betrayed your own kin for that bastard!"

WilyKit tried to move away, but the rebel was having none of it, "You all know what this traitor did, don't you?" he shouted at the crowd, "You know how she allied herself to Mumm-Ra, how she watched as we were treated like garbage and did nothing about it, how she actually fought against us rebels to defend the one who almost killed our entire race? And now she's a Thundercat? I don't think that's fair! Do you think that's fair?"

The crowd shouted their agreement, and the rebel leaned in close to WilyKit, so he could whisper at her ear, "What did you do to be accepted back into the Thundercats? I bet it was the same thing you did with Mumm-Ra, wasn't it, you disgusting whore?"

"I will take her emblem and then we will take her to lord Lion-O to tell him what this traitor is really like!" the rebel exclaimed as he slid his hand down WilyKit's body, going for the Thundercat insignia she had attached to her belt.

The thought of the rebel's hand touching her any further made WilyKit's body shake fiercely with loathing. This slave had not only hurt her, he was also touching her in a way that only one person, Amon-Ra, had the right to. The young woman growled and hissed furiously, "Unhand me. Now! Let me go or you will regret it."

"Or else what, is your twin going to come after me?" The rebel mocked, "Don't make me laugh, that worthless piece of mutant spit is not coming out of the desert they say he's hiding in."

"Take back what you said about my brother!" WilyKit demanded, "And let me go you worm, let me go NOW!"

"Shut up, bitch!" The man said, "I'll…"

It happened all too quickly for the rebel to react. With a swift move of her arm, WilyKit punched the man full force on the chin, throwing him several steps away. The Thunderian's jaw and neck broke with the punch. He was already dead by the time his body hit the ground.

"You're all garbage!" She spat angrily; her face now a mask of hate with red glowing eyes, "You think you're better than me?" She shouted at the multitude, "Well, you're wrong, I am better than all of you!"

WilyKit didn't stop there. Blind with rage, she grabbed a terrified woman who tried to run away and smashed her face on the floor, her skull breaking with a loud crack. A second Thunderian, little more than a kid, jumped at her hoping he could slow her down enough for his parents to escape. WilyKit stopped him with a quick kick to the chest and, before he fell over, she grabbed him by the neck and started to apply pressure on his windpipe.

A small part of her shouted her, begged her to stop, but WilyKit paid it no attention; giving in to her rage was making her feel too good to even care about the consequences of her actions. All she wanted was to make these slaves pay for hurting and insulting her and her twin, nothing else.

But then someone stopped her. Two very powerful arms closed around her like a steel vice, and she felt herself being lifted off the ground before she could do something about it. She saw the kid she was punishing escape, and she despised the person holding her for interrupting her punishment of that slave. WilyKit tried to get free, but the owner of those arms applied even more force when he noticed her efforts.

"You're not getting away!" a raspy voice warned. "Tell me where Captain Pummyra is or I'll crack your ribs!"

Kit didn't recognize the voice, but she did know what the stranger was talking about. She had no reason to share that information with this slave, though. Growling the furious woman thrashed desperately, finally slamming the back of her head into the face of her attacker. Freeing herself thanks to that move, WilKyt turned to see her new enemy and was very surprised to find a large Thundercat, even bigger than Panthro, kneeling on the floor, trying to stop the blood from his nose. He wore full body armor, only lacking the helmet, and carried a massive hammer, as well as many other tools, strapped to his back and belt.

That was all she needed to recognize him.

"O-Celot. You still live," She said with an intrigued, slightly annoyed voice, "I thought you died with the rest of the rebels who fell on that cliff."

The man looked at Kit, revealing a large scar which ran from his lower neck to his forehead, crossing over his empty left eye, "I can't die until I save Pummyra… Now tell me where she is!"

"You really think I'm going to tell you?" she asked with a cruel smirk, "I admire your dedication to her; but I'm afraid your quest to find her ends here."

"Don't move, Kit!"

WilyKit turned and saw Lion-O and Tygra, both staring at her in disbelief. The young King had drawn the Sword of Omens, and despite his shocked expression, seemed ready to use it if necessary. Behind him, the people had gathered again, and were happily cheering on their savior. Kit hated him even more for it.

"I…I can't believe you did this." he said, horrified at the dead Thunderians on the scene, "What… what the hell happened to you?"

"You happened!" WilyKit shouted in a disgusted voice. The young woman was finally fed up with of pretending to like him and being docile in front of him, "Ever since your return, the inferior slaves think they're better than me! Because of you, I lost all I had! I lost my brother, the respect and my power over the people… I lost everything!"

Lion-O, still not believing what he saw and heard, sighed in tired disappointment, "Take her to the truck Tygra. The Thundercat council will have to decide the proper punishment for her."

Tygra swallowed, he still couldn't assimilate the shock of seeing the damage and pain Kit had just caused, it was almost impossible to believe that the young girl he fondly remembered had turned into… into a cold-blooded killer. Forcing himself to cast those thoughts aside, Tygra used his Bolo whip to restrain the young woman, making sure that she wouldn't be able to get free unless he wanted her to.

WilyKit simply decided to keep her mouth shut; she didn't have anything else to say to Lion-O or Tygra. She already knew what was going to happen, so she preferred to wait until they were back on Cat's Lair to let them hear what she thought of them.

"You will require help watching her. I know how dangerous she can be." O-Celot said then, walking up to the young king, "Let me assist you in guarding her, my lord; I still have something to discuss with that woman, anyway."

"It doesn't concern you," Lion-O said, "I appreciate your offer, but this is Thundercat business and the Thundercat council will deal with this matter."

"She knows where Pummyra is!" The tall Thunderian said, "I've been looking for her for two years now and WilyKit…" O-Celot hissed the name, "…Is the only one who knows exactly where Mumm-Ra hid her."

"Who are you?" Lion-O asked after stopping briefly to look carefully at the tall stranger, "How do you know Pummyra?"

"I'm O-Celot the Forge-master, my King. I was a member of the rebel group led by Captain Pummyra."

"Just let him come with us, Lion-O." Tygra advised, "He appears to have information that could be useful."

The young lord glanced one last time at the scarred Thunderian and, after a moment of hesitation, he nodded, "Fine. You can come with us."

And so, amidst the angry shouts of the crowd, which demanded WilyKit be exiled into space, and feeling utterly defeated, Lion-O returned to Cat's Lair. All the way wondering and trying to understand how everything went so wrong in a matter of hours.

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To be continued…

Notes:

As usual, special thanks to Adam for beta-reading this chapter.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Thundercats and all related character don't belong to me.

Note:

This story takes place in an Alternate Universe set immediately after the end of 'The Return' miniseries published by Wildstorm comics.

Embracing dark desires.

By

Dr Facer

Chapter 6

Deep in the bowels of the Black Pyramid existed a room, a large, circular arena, where Mumm-Ra had often held sick and twisted games for his own amusement; games like offering a few slaves their freedom if they survived a fight with ferocious, demonic beasts he had previously summoned from the underworld. Obviously the feline pests had no chance of winning, but the mummy found it entetaining to watch as the Thunderian garbage was maimed and then eaten by his pets.

But at this time no slave was being gored to death. Instead, a lone young Thunderian stood in the centre of the hall, panting as dark energy coursed through his body. This young man was none other than WilyKat, former Thundercat and now Mumm-Ra's apprentice by choice. Around him the burnt corpses of eight of his evil master's demonic creatures could be seen, and Kat was taking great pleasure in knowing that he was responsible of blasting all those creatures into a charred mess.

"Well done, my boy! You are learning quickly," the mage praised, looking at the boy with a strange, pleased grin. "Do you like this power?"

WilyKat took a deep breath as he savoured the taste of power he had felt only once before, when he almost killed that miserable Slithe all those years ago. He was pleased to see that under his master's guidance he was now able to call upon that power whenever he wished. "Yes… but…"

"What is it?"

"It's not enough!" Kat protested. "I still don't have the strength to save my sister! I need more power, master. You have to teach me more, I beg you!"

"And I will, my son," the wizard promised. "But first, come with me, there is something you must see before your training continues."

"But master, this is…!"

"I said come with me!" Mumm-Ra ordered. "If it is power you want then you will come with me!"

Frightened by the force present in his master's voice, WilyKat bowed and in complete silence, followed the mummy all the way back to the cauldron room. Once there Mumm-Ra stood before the bubbling waters and eventually called Kat to his side.

"Try to command the waters," he ordered. "Think of what you want to see most and then try to make it appear."

"I want to see what my sister has been doing," Kat whispered.

"Then raise your hand to the waters and make them show you what you desire," the wizard instructed. "You can do it; it is only a matter of will."

WilyKat nodded and closed his eyes, preparing to do as he was told. He hesitantly raised his hand and tried to establish a link with the magic flowing out of the cauldron. It took him a few tries, but he soon made the connection. After that it was easy to force his will into the waters and make them show him what he wanted.

WilyKat, however, did not find joy in what the waters revealed. Because what he saw was his sister; how she had been humiliated, attacked by the sickening slaves, arrested by Lion-O and Tygra… and how Lion-O himself ordered for her twin to be locked and sedated in her room.

"What do you think of what your sister did?" Mumm-Ra asked. He already knew about WilyKit's killing spree, but he wanted to know what WilyKat's feelings on the matter were. "Do you believe it's fair that the Thundercats are treating her like that?"

"My sister did nothing wrong!" WilyKat said with an angry whisper, his eyes lighting up as red as his master's. "It was those maggots' fault! Didn't you see the way that cursed rebel touched her and insulted her? They all deserved punishment! It was her **right** to punish them!"

"Yes… she did the right thing, didn't she?"

"Of course she did!" WilyKat shouted. "And damn Lion-O! How dare he have my sister sedated and locked in her room as if she were an animal! Who does he think he is?"

"They will surely blast her into space soon," Mumm-Ra warned. "Just like the Thundercats of the past did with Grune."

"Never! I will not allow it!"

"I assume all you want to do is go and save her right now, don't you?"

WilyKat nodded and gritted his teeth in anger, "Yes… I will take my sister back! …Even if I have to kill every Thundercat in Cat's Lair first!"

The mummy laughed. "Kill them? My dear boy, do you really think you have a chance to defeat the whole team by yourself?"

The young Thunderian growled, "Of course I don't! But you can help me change that, master! You said you would make me strong enough to save her!"

Mumm-Ra laughed again, his cold, dead laugh filling the pyramid. "Yes, I told you that. And I'm willing to give you the means to use your full potential right away."

"Then do it!" Kat demanded. "Do it now!"

"Patience, my son, the power you need is practically in your grasp," the ancient wizard said as he placed a hand on his pupil's shoulder. "All you have to do is kill a certain entity that is in possession of something very valuable…"

"Who are you talking about?"

The mummy walked to the cauldron and waved his hand above its waters, revealing an image of an old, ruined temple in a wasteland of Third Earth. WilyKat didn't recognize the place at first, but he soon remembered it.

"You remember whose tomb that is, don't you?" Mumm-Ra asked.

"Yes, I remember."

"Do you think you can kill the creature that lies inside and bring his weapon to me as proof of your success?"

"I don't know," Kat honestly admitted; he really wasn't sure if he could do it… the beast which lurked in that chapel was indeed a formidable enemy.

"But I do know, son. I know that beast is not stronger than you," Mumm-Ra said suddenly, the tone in his voice sounding strangely reassuring and comforting. "You can do this! I trust you can."

The young man felt a sudden surge in confidence as he heard his master's words and, after a moment, he nodded, "I'll… I'll do it."

"Good," Mumm-Ra smiled. "Now listen: Do not feed him, do not hesitate. Use what you feel for the Thundercats to fuel your strength."

Taking in a deep breath, Kat closed his eyes and nodded again. "I will."

"Then go!" the ancient mage commanded as he raised his hands, creating a vortex, a portal of light. "Go and prove your worth."

And with a silent nod, WilyKat jumped into the portal.

Once he stepped out of the vortex, Kat walked to the ancient ruins of what once was both a temple and a tomb, designed to contain an evil force of great power. The moment he reached the entrance to the main hall, a cold, fierce wind howled past him, almost as if it was a warning of the danger inside. WilyKat simply ignored it; he had entered this place when he was a child and now that he was an adult, accustomed to life in the Onyx Pyramid, this place was not threatening for him at all.

It didn't take long until he stood before the altar. A large, thick rock slate covered the underground prison holding back the beast he was here to destroy. The Thundercats had sealed it years ago, melting the rock to make sure nobody could remove it.

A disgusted expression crawled over WilyKat's face. Thinking about the Thundercats only reminded him of their treason, both to him and his sister. Not wanting to waste more time, the young man slowly raised his hands. Kat focused and summoned a glowing blue sphere made of pure, raw magic power fuelled by his rage; with a growl, he shot it at the stone slate. The energy ball exploded and, when the dust settled, the rock blocking the tomb was gone, vaporized by the impact.

Almost immediately a thick, black fog emerged from the unholy tomb. A set of evil yellow eyes began to shine as the demonic gas expanded and turned solid. The fog took shape, growing legs which ended in hooves and muscular arms. On top of a broad torso, a goat head, crowned by two long, twisted horns, formed.

In his right hand the malevolent being held a scythe.

"Once again… Mongor is free!" the demon shouted, his shiny eyes fixed on WilyKat. "I recognize you, kitten. You are older, but I know you are one of the three miserable cats who imprisoned me a second time! And now you will be my first victim!"

"Things have changed, Mongor. Things have changed very much," WilyKat answered calmly. The young man had expected to be afraid at the mere sight of the demon, but it was exactly the opposite; seeing Mongor reminded him of how he and her sister had helped Lion-O defeat this beast. And WilyKat hated that memory; he hated everything about his past, when he had been innocent and naïve, so innocent that he in fact believed all the lies the Thundercats told him.

"You don't have the power to defeat Mongor, the master of fear!" the creature sneered, and created a wall of flame around him, lifting his scythe threateningly. Normally the demon would already be all over his victim, feasting on his fear, using it to increase his power. But not this time, because Mongor could not feel any significant amount of fear inside the young man in front of him. In fact the dominant emotions he could feel were an almost infinite rage and a deep hate.

"Is something wrong?" Kat mocked, "You might think you are a master of fear, Mongor, but I don't fear you. To me you are nothing!"

"That's impossible!" the demon yelled, backing up a step and shrinking significantly. "Mongor is terror, you must fear me!"

"You can't compare with my master, beast," WilyKat said, moving closer to the creature. "And if I don't fear my master, I certainly don't fear you!"

"Master…? Who is your master? Why are you here?" The demon demanded nervously as he moved carefully to his left, always keeping the blade of his scythe between himself and the hate-filled boy.

"I'm here to kill you, Mongor," Kat answered in a very serious tone. "And you don't need to know who my master is!"

"Kill m-m-me?" The creature sounded panicked and shrank in size. "Wait! I can be your loyal servant; you don't have to kill me!"

"I'm not interested," the young Thunderian replied. "Die now!"

Before Mongor could react, WilyKat blasted him in the head with powerful blue lightning, sending the creature crashing into the nearest wall.

"I can't die! As long as… fear exists, Mongor shall live!" The fallen, goat-like demon cried, the words coming weakly out of the unrecognizable mess of melting flesh that was now his face.

"You are wrong, Mongor, you can die," Kat asserted coldly. He was already in front of the creature and wasted no time snatching the scythe out of the weakened demon's hands. "And I'm going to prove it!"

"You… won't do that… Thundercats are…good," the creature whimpered as it pitifully attempted to crawl back into the hole it had come from.

"Thundercat, you called me?" A furious WilyKat spat, raising the scythe above his head. "I am not a Thundercat, you stupid beast!" Angrily shouting those words, Kat brought down the scythe with all his strength.

The scythe's blade cut through flesh and bone with ease and sank into the rocky floor below its victim with a loud clack. A second later Mongor's corpse hit the floor, sliced open from his right shoulder to his left hip, his dark blood spilling all over the stone tiles.

WilyKat abandoned Mongor's sanctuary without looking back. The anger which had powered him was gone now and Kat suddenly felt very tired, both in body and soul. Deciding that all that mattered was finishing the quest in order to gain the power he needed to save his sister he entered the portal that would take him back to his master's sanctuary.

But he did not return to the Onyx Pyramid.

Instead WilyKat found himself in the outskirts of the capital city, just where the massive statue of his master used to stand. Confused, he looked at the setting sun and wondered how long had he been in Mongor's tomb before coming back. His biggest question, however, was why he was here.

"It is a shame to see what Lion-O and his allies are doing to my city, don't you agree?" Mumm-Ra, in his ever-living warrior form, asked suddenly as he walked out of the shadows.

Kat turned, startled at the abrupt appearance of his master. "My Lord, I wasn't expecting to see you. Why are we here? I thought you were going to make me stronger."

"The key to the power you seek is in your very hands, boy," the wizard announced. "With it you can unleash your potential and do what you desire."

"Are you sure, master?" WilyKat asked doubtfully.

"I am. Mongor's scythe is able to amplify the power of its user."

The young Thunderian stared at the weapon he held and then looked at his master. "I don't feel anything from it."

"That's because its last master is dead. You have to activate the scythe again for it to work for you," Mumm-Ra explained.

"How do I do that? What spell do I use?"

"All you have to do is to feed it a few souls," the ancient mage said with a grim smile. "And not many, you only need five."

"It needs a sacrifice?"

"If you want to call it that," Mumm-Ra conceded. "I have even arranged it so you can get those souls right now."

Saying this the wizard led WilyKat to the back of the rubble that once was his statue; there, five Thunderians, four males and one female, all wounded and bleeding, were chained to a large rock. Kat was about to ask why the captives weren't screaming, but he noticed their lips had been stitched together. For an instant, WilyKat thought that this brutality was unfair, but he crushed that thought almost immediately. These were slaves, and they didn't deserve any better.

"Take a good look at this garbage. Don't you recognize them?" the ancient mage asked.

WilyKat took a step closer to the terrified, mumbling slaves in front of him and looked at them attentively. It didn't take him long to realize who these people were. Three of the men were the ones who assaulted his twin with rotten fruit; the other was the kid who escaped her and the woman was the one who shouted trash against WilyKit.

"I know who they are. How…?"

"I have my ways, son," the mummy said with a sinister grin. "You told me your sister was right to punish the slaves who offended her. But we both know she could not do it. Would you like to do it for her? This way you will not only be finishing what she started, but you will also feed the scythe the souls it needs."

"And that will activate its power?"

"Yes, I assure you it will," Mumm-Ra promised. The wizard was, of course, certain it would work; after all, he had created that scythe eons ago when Mongor came to him asking for more power. At the time Mumm-Ra realized that the only way to increase the fear demon's pitiful fright absorption abilities would be to give him something that could channel the terror Mongor assimilated into attack magic and thus, the mummy created a weapon to fulfil that purpose, though he never imagined it would end up in the hands of his only apprentice. Of course the wizard didn't tell WilyKat that. He also didn't tell him about the scythe's ability to shift its shape into something more adequate for its owner. There was no need for that information yet.

The wizard kept staring at his apprentice and grinned. It was an alien emotion for the mage, but he actually felt pride and, strangely enough, some affection for the boy and his sister. But this did not last long, and Mumm-Ra quickly focused on the matter at hand again: Unlocking some of WilyKat's true power. Because the fact was that WilyKat had an incredible magic potential unlike anything the mummy had ever seen; he could become an even more powerful wizard than him in a relatively short time and considering the current situation having a strong heir was one of Mumm-Ra's top priorities.

"Son, you must not forget the real reason why you're doing this. You are doing it for your sister. You are doing it for her!" Mumm-Ra emphasized after noticing a small hint of hesitation from WilyKat. "You know this is the only way you can have the power to save her; you know this has to be done."

WilyKat stood motionless as he listened to his master. The small part of him that still disagreed with the wizard was asking him to run away and leave everything behind. The young apprentice frowned at that impulse. He couldn't run away and leave his sister in the hands of Lion-O and the others. He just couldn't! Not when the chance at gaining the strength to save her was within his reach! Besides, Mumm-Ra was right; these people had insulted her sister and they had to be punished!

"Yes, it has to be done; they deserve it," the young man announced and prepared his weapon. He then stared at the slaves, at their terror-filled eyes, he watched them squirm, trying futilely to get away from him. He listened to their whimpers and murmured pleas for mercy. WilyKat couldn't help but find those displays of weakness pathetic.

"They really are miserable _things_, aren't they?" he said to his master, his voice growing cold and grim as he steeled himself for what he was about to do.

"Yes, they are miserable and expendable things, my son."

"I thought so," the apprentice agreed. The blade of his scythe flew down in a deadly, descending arc…

Earlier that day, at Cat's Lair…

Cheetara looked through the small porthole in the iron door Panthro was currently installing in WilyKit's room. She knew she should wait until her mate finished the work, but she couldn't stop herself from looking at the young girl inside the room. The woman still had trouble believing what Tygra and Lion-O said when they entered the Lair along with a tied-up Kit and a mysterious stranger.

In the room WilyKit slept peacefully in her bed. Tygra had been forced to sedate her in order to keep her calm and to stop any attempt she might make at escaping. For Cheetara the sleeping Kit was an image of calmness and tranquillity, not of violence and anger.

"I still can't believe she did… that," the Cheetah exclaimed. "… I just can't."

"I feel the same way you do, Cheetara, but I saw her," Lion-O answered, his voice sounded sad and tired. The expression on his face had remained forlorn since they returned from the city, "I saw her when she did it. The Eye of Thundera showed me when she… when she started… killing them…"

"Well I think she is being controlled by Mumm-Ra!" Snarf interrupted with an angry squeal. "She wouldn't have done that herself, Snarf! She must be under some kind of spell!"

"Have you forgotten what her twin did?" Panthro queried as he finished plugging a set of wires to a control panel next to the new iron door. "He practically handed us all over to that mummy in a sliver platter!"

"What are you saying? That suddenly the twins turned evil?" Snarf asked, a little bit offended at the notion; after all, he was a Snarf, a creature incapable of evil and as such he usually considered his allies to be like him.

"I don't mean anything other than what I say," the panther answered with a tired sigh and then turned to face Lion-O. "I'm done here. This new scanner will guarantee that only we are able to open the door."

"Thank you, Panthro," the young lord nodded and looked at the other Thundercats around him. "We should go to the council room now; Tygra wants us all to be there so we can… discuss what to do about WilyKit."

Not too long afterward the Thundercats were sitting in their places in the council room. The mood in the room, however, was far from festive, since every Thundercat present was still trying to assimilate the betrayal of the second twin. Finally, after almost a minute, Tygra, still the leader of the council got up and allowed O-Celot to enter the room.

"Cheetara, Panthro and Snarf, this man is named O-Celot. He helped us in the city and he claims to have information about Pummyra that we should know."

O-Celot nodded respectfully at the rest of the Thundercats and followed Tygra to the table. When the tiger sat, the armored Thunderian just stood very still, waiting for any questions the nobles had for him.

"He said something about a rebel group led by Pummyra," Lion-O began, and addressed the other Thundercats. "Did you know about it?"

"Only whispered rumours between Vulture Man and Jackal Man," Cheetara admitted. "Being a prisoner in the mutant's castle, I never heard anything of the outside world."

"Bengali once told me about his plan to make a copy of the Sword of Omens and use it to give a symbol to the rebel group Pummyra would gather once they escaped the mines," Panthro offered. "They both escaped along with a small group of Thunderians, but almost two years later, Bengali was brought to the mines again, encased in some kind of crystal. They left him in there until he was nothing but bones."

"Yes, that is what we heard happened," O-Celot confirmed. "The loss of Bengali was a huge blow for the rebellion and for Pummyra in particular."

"How did the rebellion end?" Tygra asked. "Is it related to why you claimed WilyKit to be so dangerous?"

O-Celot frowned, apparently assaulted by a bad memory, before he answered the question. "No, not really. But she was there during the event which ended our rebellion."

"What happened?" Cheetara asked.

"Pummyra thought that Mumm-Ra's power fluctuated according the form he took, so when we learned that he was sending away a dignitary of a planet from the Galaxy of Limbo using the form of Amon-Ra, we thought ambushing him while in that form would give us a great advantage."

"Amon-Ra?" Lion-O queried.

"It's the form Mumm-Ra took while hosting representatives from certain planets. He turned into a young human and pretended to be the king of the planet." O-Celot made a short pause and looked at the young lord right in the eye. "You should know that WilyKit always played the role of wife and queen to Mumm-Ra when he was in the form of Amon-Ra."

Lion-O took in a deep breath, he was obviously upset about this, but he needed to know everything and motioned O-Celot to continue.

"At first we thought the ambush would be a success. Our archers got all the mutants guarding Mumm-Ra and before the wizard could do anything, six arrows hit him in the chest and in the back." The tall Thunderian sighed. "I won't lie, watching as Mumm-Ra fell, wounded and hurting to the ground was our greatest moment of triumph."

"But we were careless," O-Celot said. "All of us, the twenty rebels in Pummyra's squadron, rushed out of our hiding spots."

"What was WilyKit doing?" Panthro asked.

"She just stood there, silently looking at the wizard and apparently ignoring us completely."

"But… why didn't she try to escape?" Cheetara wondered.

O-Celot closed his eyes and resumed his tale. "I don't know. All I know is that we told her to move away from the wizard. But the girl didn't move at all; she just glanced at Pummyra and told her that she was not going to try to stop us, but that she wouldn't help us either.

"Pummyra then pulled out a sword. She intended to decapitate Mumm-Ra; we thought it was the only effective way to kill him for good. She walked past WilyKit, who watched everything with what I assume was great interest, and prepared herself to end the wizard's life. Confident with our apparent victory, we all thought we would finally be free of Mumm-Ra when she raised her blade and prepared to chop his head off.

"But that never happened. Before any of us could react… Mumm-Ra grabbed Pummyra by the hand and I don't know how he did it but… By Claudis…! I can still hear Pummyra shriek in pain!"

"What happened?" Tygra urged. "Tell us!"

"Mumm-Ra broke Pummyra's arm under the elbow, it happened so fast that all she could do was to scream," O-Celot answered. "The mummy then brutally tossed her away and mocked our efforts as pathetic.

"Of course, we were not going to run away after getting so close to killing that bastard. I admit that after seeing Pummyra in the ground I grew blind with rage, I couldn't stop myself and I rushed at that cursed wizard without thinking. I had not noticed he had taken Pummyra's sword and now was holding it. I paid with my eye for my mistake."

"Mumm-Ra was the one who scarred you?" Snarf said, his hands trembling with fear.

"You better believe it," the large Thunderian confirmed. "After he cut me, he told us we were about to die. We tried to escape, but it was too late; Mumm-Ra turned into that warrior form of his, and the arrows we hit him with just slid out of his body and started to float around him. After that, he lifted his hand and the arrows, they flew back straight at the faces of the archers who had shot them.

"Then that cursed wizard summoned a powerful gust of wind and threw all my friends off a nearby cliff. I assure you, they all died."

"What about you?" Lion-O inquired. "How did you survive?"

"I fell behind a rock, and I was protected from the wind," O-Celot explained. "That's how I got to see what Mumm-Ra did to Pummyra: he encased her in a sphere of crystal that simply vanished. I heard that bastard telling WilyKit where the sphere would be, but because of the wind I could not make out the name of the place!

"I thought Mumm-Ra had forgotten about me. I was wrong; that's when the mummy decided that it was time to finish with me," O-Celot related. "He blasted me to the cliff as well; I'm only here because I was lucky. I fell on a ledge several meters down the precipice. Even with my armor, I still broke an arm and several ribs. It was a nightmare to get back up, and by the time I did that cursed wizard and the traitor were gone.

"I spent the next few years trying to find Pummyra, but I had no success. When I heard King Lion-O was back I thought you could help me find her, so I returned to the city. There, I met WilyKit instead. The rest you already know."

"What about Lynx-O?" Lion-O questioned. "No one has mentioned him yet, wasn't he a member of the rebellion?"

"He died a year after Mumm-Ra rose to power. Thundrainium poisoning got him," Panthro explained. "He was too old for the mines, but the mutants refused to let him work on the farms."

The young lord nodded and sighed sadly. "I see… I will miss him."

"We will do all we can to find Pummyra, O-Celot. We promise," Cheetara said, trying to ease Lion-O's mind of his regret.

"I know you will," O-Celot answered, "I only hope you can convince that girl to cooperate!"

"Calm down, O-Celot," Tygra advised. "We're going to interrogate WilyKit once the sedative wears off. Finding the whereabouts of Pummyra will be our highest priority."

"Thank you. Now, if you will excuse me, I would like to go to the room you offered. Can I go now, my King?" the armored Thunderian asked, bowing slightly to Lion-O.

The young lord nodded. "Yes, go and rest. Thank you for the information."

Bowing again, O-Celot left the council room, leaving behind a group of very frustrated and worried Thundercats.

"I wonder if Jaga felt as bad as I do when Grune betrayed him?" Lion-O whispered while running his fingers through his hair. "I wish I could still talk to him… I wish I had never entered the Book of Omens!"

"Lion-O, this is not your fault," Cheetara reassured him "You did what you thought was best, there is no way you could have known what…"

"But I should have been here!" the young lord exclaimed. "Because of my absence, two Thundercats turned evil, my kingdom was enslaved and my people massacred!"

"Stop blaming yourself, Lion-O!" Panthro shouted, angrily slamming his hands on the table. "The only one responsible for what happened is me! You left me in charge and I blew it! My choices while leading the Thundercats caused all this!"

"Panthro…" Cheetara called, softly taking her mate's hands in hers. "It isn't your fault either; none of us could have predicted all this."

"I thought we all agreed that this is all in the past?" Tygra reminded his friends. "What matters now is to find Pummyra and work in building a better future."

"Yes… you are right Tygra. We have work to do," Lion-O agreed, taking a deep breath, trying his best to keep his depression at bay. "We have to find Pummyra first, but we'll have to convince WilyKit to tell us where she is."

"Which I believe will not be easy," Tygra sighed.

"I'll talk to her," Cheetara offered. "She seemed to still like me; perhaps I can convince her."

"The tranquilizer I gave her should wear off in a few minutes. She won't be able to move much, but she will be awake and able to talk," Tygra said. "If you want to try, that will be a good time."

"Fine, I will." The woman then looked at her friends and sighed. "But please don't go near WilyKit's room once I'm in; I believe she could scream at me and I don't want you to interrupt our conversation. It won't help me gain her trust."

A few minutes later…

WilyKit woke up to find that she couldn't move her body. She tried to get up, but could not gather the strength to do so. Straining herself she managed to sit up on her bed, having to lean on the wall to avoid falling on her back, but nothing more. What had happened after the Thundercats brought her back to Cat's Lair? She had trouble remembering and… the young woman shook her head… Tygra, he had sedated her! How dare he do that? Furious at the Thundercats for doing this to her, the young woman cursed them all under her breath. How was she supposed to escape the Lair now?

"WilyKit, can you talk?"

The young woman looked up and saw Cheetara entering the room. Once she was in front of her the older woman placed a stool she carried and sat, staring firmly at her. What in every hell did she want?

"I'm here to ask you a few things, if you're not too tired, of course."

WilyKit frowned and pursed her lips.

"Please, Kit. I'm not going to do anything bad to you."

WilyKit gave Cheetara an annoyed glare. "I don't want to talk to you."

"Then perhaps you want to listen to what I have to say."

"Nothing you say will make a difference," Kit answered. "Leave."

"I'm not here to talk about what you did in the city," Cheetara said, trying to sound reassuring and comforting. "I'm here to ask you about something else, something completely different."

"I said leave!" Kit yelled, her eyes flashing red with anger. "I don't want to see you!"

Cheetara couldn't help but feel a tug of fear in her shoulders. She wasn't expecting to see so much hate in those eyes. For almost a minute she didn't know what to say.

"Are you going to leave or what?" Kit demanded. "I have nothing to answer for!"

"No, I'm not leaving," Cheetara said firmly, steeling herself for whatever insult WilyKit retorted with. She couldn't leave, not without the information she needed. And she couldn't allow herself to be afraid of this girl, she just couldn't.

WilyKit laughed quietly. "At least you still have some courage," she mocked. "Very well, I'll listen to you. What do you want?"

"I want to know where Pummyra is."

This time WilyKit laughed openly. "Is that what you want to know? You are wasting your time, Cheetara! I have no reason to tell you!"

"If you help us your sentence will be less severe," the cheetah offered.

"Even that won't make me change my mind," WilyKit said firmly. "It's much more fun to watch how you all squirm, thinking about the fate of Pummyra!"

"You can't be serious!"

"I am serious. Besides, Pummyra got less than what she deserved! Lord Mumm-Ra should have killed her!"

"You…" Cheetara stopped and sighed. "What did Mumm-Ra do to you?"

WilyKit didn't answer immediately. She took her precious time to answer that question, just to enjoy the uncertainness in Cheetara's face, "He showed me the truth," she finally said. "He taught me the way things should be."

"You can't seriously believe that!" the cheetah declared.

"You only talk that way because you don't know anything," Kit retorted with an arrogant smile. "Lord Mumm-Ra is wise and strong. Stronger than anyone and wiser than anyone; that is why he should be ruling this planet. But then again, you spent years trapped in Plundarr's castle. I can't expect an ignorant slut like you to understand something as complex as this."

"What did you call me?" a shocked Cheetara asked; she wasn't expecting WilyKit would dare to insult her with that word. "A slut?"

"That's what the mutants made of you," Kit said, again with that arrogant smile. "I know it. I saw what Monkian did to you almost _every_ _day_."

WilyKit's words hit Cheetara hard. She never imagined that listening to something like that from the lips of this girl she had known for so long would hurt so much. She felt even more pain as she noticed how much WilyKit appeared to be enjoying torturing her with those words.

"You know when you cracked Monkian's skull open I thought that maybe you could understand, but I was wrong," WilyKit admitted. "You are nothing but a weak whore! I saw how you cried yourself to sleep in Tygra's arms, calling for Panthro every night. You are weak, Cheetara, and you do deserve all that has happened to you!"

Those words finally caused Cheetara to snap. "I deserved to be raped by that disgusting creature anytime it wanted?" she shouted. "Do you really think I deserved that?"

"You could have killed him earlier," Kit claimed with a cruel smirk.

"I… I bet Mumm-Ra did the same to you, and that is even worse!" the cheetah angrily shouted.

"You think he raped me?" WilyKit asked in an amused tone. "You really don't know anything, do you? Mumm-Ra _loved_ me!"

All the anger Cheetara felt was smothered when she heard those last three words. The conviction in WilyKit's voice when she spoke them… she really believed Mumm-Ra loved her. That was what finally convinced Cheetara that the girl was too far gone. Understanding that she was not going to get any help from her and feeling completely disillusioned, the woman rose to her feet and walked to the door.

"I always loved you like a daughter," Cheetara said suddenly, admitting something she always wanted, but never could, tell to WilyKit.

"You should have told me that years ago," Kit chided in a cold voice. "You should have told me that when I actually cared about it!"

"I'm sorry this happened to you," Cheetara said and dried a tear that slid slowly down her cheek. "I really do love you, even now."

WilyKit lowered her face and sighed. "Go to the North Pole. Pummyra is somewhere in the highest peak of the Artic Mountains."

"What did you just say?"

The young woman ignored the question and closed her eyes. She continued ignoring Cheetara until the Thundercat gave up and finally closed the door.

Out of the room, at the end of the corridor, Cheetara was met by Lion-O, Panthro and Tygra. The men had a hopeless expression in their faces.

"We heard you shout. Are you alright?" Panthro asked, truly worried. "We almost rushed into that room."

"Was it really necessary to ask us to stay away?" Tygra inquired.

"Yes, it was necessary. And no, I'm not alright," the woman answered, crumbling in Panthro's arms, finally letting the tears flow freely. "She's changed completely Panthro… she's… I think she's… truly evil now."

"Did WilyKit…" Lion-O stopped for a moment. "Did she say something about Pummyra?"

Cheetara nodded, "I don't know why, but she did tell me where to find her."

Hours later…

WilyKit looked through the bars in her window. She had tried to bend them, but she had only gotten a low electric discharge in return. Apparently Panthro was not too happy with the idea of her escaping. Well, it didn't matter. She knew at least half of the Thundercats would leave the next day to the artic region to verify if what she told Cheetara was true.

It didn't matter to her if they found Pummyra or not, all she wanted was to get at least half of them out of Cat's Lair so she could have a decent chance of escaping. That, and messing with Cheetara's head for fun, had been the only reasons why she had shared the information.

Sighing the young woman glanced, disgusted, at the remains of her leotard, which she ripped off her body as soon as she regained enough strength. She looked appreciatively at herself; she now wore her expensive concubine outfit and jewellery. This dress represented everything that her life used to be and everything she now cared about. And she wanted it all back.

Just then a surge of energy in the corner of her room forced WilyKit to take several steps back. But she was not afraid of the energy vortex because she recognized it as a portal like the ones her master used to travel vast distances. Her beautiful lips form a smile at the thought of being rescued, and that smile grew even more once she saw who had stepped out of the portal.

In front of WilyKit, a tall, young man wrapped in a regal white cape stood. He firmly held an elegantly crafted, yet dangerous looking, silver scythe in his right hand. The man was none other than WilyKat, her twin brother.

"…Kat?"

WilyKat smiled. "Hello, sister. It's been a long time."

The young woman couldn't stop a tear as she rushed at her brother and embraced him with all her might. "I missed you so much!"

WilyKat hugged her back and softly whispered, "I missed you too. What do you say, want to get out of here?"

"You don't even have to ask," she answered. "If I stay here for another minute I'll go insane!"

As WilyKat reopened the vortex to enable him and his sister to escape, the iron door opened, revealing a very surprised Snarf, who dropped a platter full of his homemade pancakes at what he saw.

"WilyKat…?" The surprised Snarf mumbled. The diminutive Thundercat was there because he still believed that the actions of the twins had been influenced by Mumm-Ra. After all, that had happened in the past; and it was for that very reason that he was sure a friendly talk while eating pancakes could do wonders for WilyKit. But finding an armed WilyKat in the room was never a part of the plan, and he didn't know what to make of it.

"That blasted rat's seen us!" WilyKit cursed. "He's going to call the others!"

"No, he won't," WilyKat said and pointed his scythe at Snarf, blasting him with blue lighting before he could do anything. The blast hit the furry Thundercat in the stomach, and it went through him with ease. In less than a second, Snarf, with a gaping hole in his midsection, laid in an ever expanding pool of his own blood.

"But…you were dead…" Snarf murmured, still too shocked to understand what had happened to him. "I saw you die…"

"And now I've seen you die," WilyKat rejoined. "Let's go, sister, we have work to do."

"Are we going back to the Onyx Pyramid?"

Kat smiled. "Yes, the master has a plan to make things right again, but he needs our help."

WilyKit returned the smile and, taking her brother's hand, she entered the vortex, which quickly vanished along with the twins.

All WilyKit and WilyKat left behind in Cat's Lair was an agonized Snarf…

To be continued…

Notes: I'm sure most of you remember Mongor; but in case you're cloudy about it, he is the goat-like fear demon from season one that was defeated by Lion-O and the Thunderkittens.

About the relationship between Panthro and Cheetara, it was hinted at in "The Return". I guess it developed during the time Panthro was in charge of leading the Thundercats.

As usual, extra thanks to Adam for beta reading this chapter.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Thundercats and all related character don't belong to me.

Note:

This story takes place in an Alternate Universe set immediately after the end of 'The Return' miniseries published by Wildstorm comics.

Embracing dark desires.

By

Dr Facer

Chapter 7

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Inside his royal chambers in Cat's Lair Lion-O, lord of the Thundercats, heir to the Kingdom of Thundera and last in a line of kings as old as his civilization, could not find the inner peace needed to sleep. His mind was awash in turmoil and tortured by guilt. Despite what his friends and teammates had told him, the young king could not stop thinking about everything which had happened since he first entered the Book of Omens… Mumm-Ra enslaving and murdering thousands of his people, the near destruction of his empire and his greatest regret: the corruption of the twins. He can't stop thinking about it and, no matter what the others said, Lion-O was convinced that everything, all of it, was his fault.

Weaker men might be destroyed by such a terrible burden, but not Lion-O. He has learned over the years that, as King, he has a responsibility to shoulder and he has taken it as best as he can, with honor and strength. It is his duty to make everything right again. No matter how difficult or how long it takes, he has to give his people hope and help them build their lives all over again, because he is a symbol. He is not only the leader of the Thundercats, he is their King.

Suddenly a roar echoing from the Eye of Thundera interrupted his grim thoughts. The mystic Sword of Omens was calling for him, warning him of danger. But what could it be? Mumm-ra should still be too weak to pose a serious threat and the mutants had been scattered! Was the evil wizard preparing some new deviltry? Intrigued and alarmed, Lion-O reached for his sword and held it at eye level, hoping against hope that whatever this was wouldn't be something which would hurt his people.

"Sword of Omens, grant me sight beyond sight!"

Heeding the command the sword's hilt shifted, growing semicircles at each side of the edge, granting the request of its master and showing him the emergency. All Lion-O saw at first was just WilyKit, pacing around in her room until an energy vortex abruptly appeared and then… nothing! Something, or someone, had blinded the eye!

The young King wasted no time, racing out of his chambers in a mad rush for WilyKit's room. He was convinced that Mumm-Ra was invading the Lair; after all, who else had the power to blind the Eye of Thundera? Never stopping, Lion-O didn't call the other Thundercats, he didn't have the time for that; but he hoped that if he had to fight, the cries of battle would bring his allies to his side.

Lion-O prayed he would be there in time to prevent WilyKit's escape and foil whatever other plan the demented mummy had in mind.

But what he found as he arrived at the room was not a battle-ready and enraged Mumm-Ra; he didn't even find the female twin. What greeted Lion-O as he stepped through WilyKit's door was Snarf, fatally wounded and convulsing in the middle of a pool of blood.

"Great Jaga, Snarf!" the young lord shouted, refusing to believe what he saw in front of him. "This is impossible! Not him, not Snarf!"

Lion-O started to breathe heavily, his eyes never leaving Snarf as he slowly knelt at the side of his greatest friend. He couldn't assimilate this; his mind was about to shut down in shock. Snarf was his most loyal companion, always willing to lend a hand, always ready to lighten the mood with a well placed joke, always there for everyone. But for Lion-O, the most important thing was that Snarf he had been his best and dearest friend, the member of the team he considered family before everyone else.

"You can't die on me, Snarf!" Lion-O pleaded as he carefully lifted his friend up. "You can't!"

"Lion-O?" Snarf mumbled weakly, struggling to focus his eyes on the person holding him. "Is that… you?"

"Don't talk, friend," the young lord ordered. "Save your strength. Tygra will take care of you, you'll see."

"Did you know that Snarfer was eaten… by Slithe?" Snarf continued with visible effort. "What will I say to my brother when I… see him?"

"Where are the others? Come here! This is an emergency!" Lion-O yelled while tears of despair started to roll down his face.

"Lion-O… when did you get here… do you want pancakes too? But there are no more pancakes I… dropped them?"

"Don't worry about anything, Snarf, just concentrate on saving your strength."

"I'm… I'm dying, right?" the little Thundercat managed to get out.

"No!" Lion-O argued as his panic rose. "You're not going to die!"

"Lion-O, there's something I have to… tell you," Snarf said with a vanishing voice. "I really do…"

"Snarf, wait until the others get here, we're going to help you, you'll be alright, you'll see!"

"No… I won't," Snarf disputed gently. "I am dying, I can feel it… and I can accept it because I-I've seen you again, I got you out of the book and we- we saved everyone…"

Lion-O swallowed and struggled to fight back the immense fear and desperation overwhelming him.

"I wanted to tell you that… that I am very proud of you," Snarf managed to get out, his foggy eyes somehow fixated on Lion-O's face, "I… love you Lion-O. You're the son I never… had."

"I care deeply for you as well, Snarf. But don't talk like that; you're not going to die! You hear me? You're going to stay with me!" the young lord cried, unable to keep the terror at bay anymore.

"I-I just wanted to give her pancakes…" Snarf said as his voice faded completely and his body went limp, his strained heart finally giving out.

"Snarf?" Lion-O asked with an almost hysterical scream as he noticed the change in his friend's body. "Snarf? Wake up, Snarf, I beg you, wake up!"

But Snarf didn't respond. He was gone, and Lion-O's scream of agony and regret as he realized this was heard in every room of Cat´s Lair.

In the Black Pyramid…

WilyKit walked slowly behind her brother. She had expected to feel at least a little worried at the implications of Snarf's death for her and her twin; but instead she felt calm and convinced that they had done the right thing. She also felt free! Free of all the idiotic rules the Thundercats followed, free of having them on her back, watching her every move. She also felt completely at home, just like her brother had before, and the feeling of belonging she experienced was so strong it made her wonder why she had ever left in the first place.

"I'm happy we're together once more," WilyKat confided. "I was afraid we could never talk or be near each other again."

"I felt the same. I'm really glad you were able to save me from them."

"It was nothing, Kit. I'm just relieved they didn't have time to do something like blast you into space."

"I am, too," she said and noticed something in her twin's expression. Slightly worried, she walked up to him and gently caressed his face, "Are you alright? You look… concerned about something."

"I'm fine, sister. It's just that I didn't think I would have to do that to Snarf," WilyKat explained, holding his sister's hand in his own and caressing her palm with his thumb.

"Do you regret it?"

"I don't regret it," the male twin answered quickly, his voice steady and calm, without a hint of remorse. "I was prepared to do anything to get you back."

"Then what's bothering you?" she asked insistently.

"The Thundercats, Lion-O in particular, will not be pleased by your escape and Snarf's death. I was thinking of how they'll retaliate for it."

WilyKit retrieved her hand and frowned, "Yes, Lion-O is not going to sit still for long after this. What should we do about it?"

"Lord Mumm-Ra has a plan to deal with the Thundercats for good," WilyKat said and he started walking again. "I don't know yet what it is, but he said he would tell me when everything was ready."

WilyKit stopped dead at that statement. She realized she had to speak with Mumm-Ra. Ever since that day in the forest when she had realized that the mummy cared for her and her twin, she had been wondering about his reasons for doing certain things, and she wanted to set that clear before anything else happened.

"WilyKat, I have to go talk to him."

The male twin looked at his sister and nodded, "I imagined you would, and so did the master. He said he would be in his throne room, in case you wanted to meet him later."

In silence WilyKit walked with her brother a few more steps until she stopped again. "I'll go see him now. Do you mind if I leave you here?"

"No, go and talk to Mumm-Ra," the male twin replied and watched with a smile as his sister entered a different corridor. He was overjoyed to have her back. It had been a long time since he felt this way and he had his master to thank for it. After all he had to do to gain the power he needed, this was the best reward he could possibly ask for. Still smiling the young apprentice made his way to his own chambers.

It didn't take long for WilyKit to cross the dark halls and passages which separated her from the throne room; once there she stood by the large, closed doors, not daring to open them and go inside, but very much wanting to. The girl felt torn, she still felt some of that burning desire within her and she knew only Mumm-Ra could quench it. She also wanted all to be like it was before Lion-O returned and she knew, too, that Mumm-Ra was the only one with the power to fix everything. But she also remembered how things had been for her shortly before the Thundercats rose to power again; it was for this reason that she hesitated to enter the large hall ahead.

"Welcome, my dear," Mumm-Ra's voice greeted her as the doors opened by themselves. "Come inside, I've been waiting for you."

Fighting off her uneasiness and taking a deep breath, the young woman steadied herself and entered the room. She found Mumm-Ra sitting in his throne, petting Ma-mutt and watching her intently as she approached.

"It is good to have you back with us," the mummy murmured, placing his undead dog on the ground and watching as it trotted away. "I had my doubts about you accepting your brother's help."

"I would never refuse my brother," she answered.

"Good. If our plan is to work, you two will have to work together."

"No. I won't do anything until you…"

"You won't?" the mage interrupted, his voice growing cold and dangerous, but still very much under control. "You won't until I do what?"

WilyKit shook a little; the power Mumm-Ra was radiating was enough to send shivers down her spine. "Until you… tell me why you treated me like that."

Mumm-Ra rose from his throne and stared at the girl with great curiosity. "I treated you how, my dear? Could you please elaborate?"

"Like one of those miserable slaves!" WilyKit snapped once she heard the wizard's playful tone of voice; she couldn't believe he was taking this so lightly. "Ever since Lion-O came out of that cursed book, you started mocking me with those cruel comments about my brother! You even hit me with lightning! And I-I didn't deserve that, master, I didn't! I did all you wanted, I-I even gave myself to you! I want to know why you did that to me!"

"You want to know the reason?" the ever-living one asked, slowly walking around the young woman. "I did it because I had to drive you away with a clear mind, my girl. I wanted you to leave my side believing that you made the best choice."

"Why?"

"It was the only way for you to truly try Lion-O's way," Mumm-Ra told her. "I trusted you would eventually realize that what we had before was better, but I wanted you to give them a fair chance before you realized how wrong the Thundercats' way is, my dear."

WilyKit stared at the mummy with a surprised look. Of all the things she had expected him to say, she never imagined that, and she didn't know what to make of the mummy's explanation. He made her suffer just to make sure she would want to leave him? That was insane! Back then, before she realized how messed up the planet would be in the hands of the Thundercats, she would have left him at the first chance! But… the young woman closed her eyes, the fact was, she and her brother could have tried to escape during missions, but they never did. They never even planned to leave Mumm-Ra's side until he forced them to.

"I didn't want to hurt you, my dear," the mummy assured with that deep alluring voice he always used when convincing the twins of something. "You have to understand that everything I did was for your own good. I had to make sure you had no doubt if you ever wanted to come back to me."

WilyKit, her eyes still closed, pondered what her ma… what her master said. The girl nervously bit at her knuckle. The more she thought about it, the more reasonable his arguments became. It didn't take long before all made sense in her eyes: Mumm-Ra knew Lion-O and the Thundercats would ruin everything, but he also knew she would always have doubts about him and, because of that he had forced her and her twin away. He had freed them to let them see firsthand what those useless Thundercats would do. And she never understood, not until now.

"You… you were right…" she whispered. "You did it for us… for me. You had to make sure we had no doubts about this… that I didn't have any doubts. That's why you let me go so easily when the Thundercats fought the mutants and I was… stupid enough to believe I should help them."

"You were not stupid, my dear." Mumm-Ra, now standing behind WilyKit, smiled sinisterly. The girl had said just what he hoped she would. "If you were, you wouldn't have punished those inferior slaves who insulted you."

She looked behind her and stared at the wizard. She had expected Mumm-Ra to know about what she did in the city, but didn't expect him to bring it up. Still, the wizard was right; she wasn't stupid, the fact that the Thundercats confused her for a while didn't stop her from realizing that Mumm-Ra was right, that he had been right all along.

"Tell me, how did it feel to punish them?" Mumm-Ra asked.

"Actually… it felt surprisingly good," she admitted, confident now that she had been right. She had felt good doing it; after all, she had just done what was her right as someone far superior to that garbage. "Yes… it felt very good, even though I had never done something like that before."

"I'm glad to hear you say that. It means that you're back on the right path," the mummy said and moved even closer. "Now, girl, tell me, why are you here?

"I'm here because I wanted to be with my brother, and…" she paused and took a deep breath. "Because I understand how wrong everything has become; and because I want everything to be the way it was when you ruled the planet."

The wizard placed his cold hand on WilyKit's shoulder and grinned as he noticed her shudder, "And it will be like that again. I swear."

"I know…" WilyKit sighed, feeling the cold hand on her shoulder brought back the burning need all over her skin and while she would have fought it before, she now welcomed it. Right then, Kit could finally admit to herself that she wanted, needed, to be with the one man who could satisfy that burning need: her lover, the pharaoh Amon-Ra. "Master, I want to… There's someone I want to see…"

"I shall grant you that request, my dear," the mummy whispered in her ear, greatly enjoying the way the girl once again fell prey to the charm of the Sun Glare spell and her own, unabated lust. "Go to your chambers and wait, Amon-Ra will meet you there soon."

WilyKit smiled a pleased, lust-filled smile and, fully expecting the wizard to keep his promise, made her way back to her room.

The next day, at dawn…

Lion-O and the other Thundercats were near a tall tree, not too far away from the sweet fruit plantations. They all stood around an open grave, at the bottom of which a little coffin lay. There was also a small, but well crafted tombstone already in place. After a few more minutes of silent contemplation the young king finally stepped forward and reached for a shovel. Lion-O's face grew even paler and his eyes were red, proof of the tears he had shed the previous night.

"This is a very sad day," Tygra announced, clearing his throat before continuing. "We gathered here to send a great friend to the other side. Snarf was an important member of our team and an excellent Thundercat. He never lost hope and he never quit. He truly was among the greatest of us all and he will be missed. May Jaga guide his soul to a better place."

In silence the young lord did what he had to do. He scooped up some dirt and tossed it into the grave. Lion-O's hands trembled as he did so and with a sorrow-filled frown he went to lean against the tree. The ruler's mind was no longer filled with rage and the desire for revenge. His friends had managed to make him see that acting on such feelings would only bring disaster. They had helped him realize that mourning did not involve letting your worst, most violent emotions take you over. Yes, Lion-O had understood this, but his world was still filled with sadness, and he knew it would be a long time before he could remember Snarf without grief.

"Snarf didn't deserve this," the king said, his back turned, not wanting to see Tygra and Panthro burying his best friend. "But he's gone now and… By my lineage, I swear that I won't rest until I make sure that all Snarf believed in, all he hoped for us to do here, is a reality!"

The ceremony lasted for a very short time after that. The Thundercats abandoned the grave one by one until Lion-O was the last mourner present.

Once alone Lion-O drew the Sword of Omens and pointed it at the tombstone. Focusing, he caused the tip of the blade to shoot out a thin beam, carving an epitaph on the stone. When he finished Lion-O finally left the grave behind him. What he wrote in the tombstone was this:

_Here lies Snarf _

_Brave & Loyal beyond the call of duty, _

_He was a young King's best & dearest friend._

_His friends will remember him always._

An hour later, in the city…

"We will use these vehicles," O-Celot stated. The large Thunderian had stayed behind, tending to some business in the city while the Thundercat nobles attended their private funeral. He had no attachment to the Snarf the king had found killed, but he could still feel their pain, and he had said his prayers for the rest of the Snarf as well.

"You think they'll hold?" Tygra asked, staring carefully at the two skycutters the former rebel had chartered. "Remember we're going all the way to the artic region."

"The mechanic said they were in good condition and I trust him."

"They seem well cared for," Panthro offered. "But I can take look at them if you want."

"If you say they appear to be in good shape, it'll be alright," the tiger replied. Then Tygra looked at Lion-O, who still appeared to be miles away, drowning in his own sadness. "Lion-O, do you want us to stay with you? We don't have to do this today."

"I promised Snarf's dreams and hopes would be a reality," the King said. "I'm sure he would want this, so please, Tygra, go and find Pummyra. If she's still alive, we have to help her."

"Fine, we'll do as you wish," Tygra agreed. "But remember that you don't have to carry this burden alone. We are here for you, all of us."

Lion-O managed a sad smile and nodded. "Thank you, Tygra."

The tiger nodded back and after giving a sign to O-Celot, they both departed, quickly fading from view thanks to the superior speed of the skycutters.

"Do you think they'll find her?" Panthro asked after a few minutes. He, Lion-O and Cheetara had been walking around the city in complete silence, and he felt they were urgently in need of a subject of conversation to keep Lion-O distracted.

"I don't know," Cheetara answered. "If WilyKit didn't lie to me, I think they may."

"I hope so," the young lord said. "We've already lost three Thundercats, we really need to get back at least one."

"Yes, you are right," Cheetara agreed.

"We also have to worry about where WilyKit is hiding," Lion-O continued. "Maybe we should go and look around the Onyx Pyramid, I have this feeling she will be there. In fact, I think we should go now."

"I'm sorry, Lion-O; but we can't do that, at least not now, while you're not ready for a possible fight against Mumm-Ra," Cheetara warned. "Give yourself time to grieve before you rush into something which could end badly."

"What are you saying, Cheetara?" Lion-O queried, stopping in the middle of the street. "We just beat Mumm-Ra, the mummy should still be weak from our last fight. We can take him out and, if WilyKit is indeed there, arrest her again."

"I agree with Cheetara," Panthro intervened. "You're not ready for that, Lion-O, not when you're still dealing with what happened."

"What else should we do then?" he asked both his companions, his voice sad and tired.

"How about protecting your people from harm, the few thousands who still live? They need a leader with a steady mind; you can't fail them like I did, Lion-O," Panthro told him. "You can't fail them."

"I know," Lion-O admitted with a somber tone of voice. "Would you mind if I ask you to leave me alone for a while? I have a lot to think about."

Panthro and Cheetara shared a concerned glance, but finally they agreed to do what their sovereign asked.

"Fine, we'll be around. Are you sure you will be okay by yourself?" Panthro asked.

"Just don't forget we're here for you," Cheetara reminded him.

I won't forget, and I will be okay," Lion-O replied. "I promise."

Saying no more the three Thundercats parted ways. Lion-O then wandered aimlessly through the slowly waking city, greeting with a friendly gesture any Thunderian he crossed paths with. Still the leader of the Thundercats couldn't keep the image of Snarf dying in his arms out of his mind. He understood his friends would never be able to comprehend what he felt. None of them, while close to Snarf, had known him for as long as Lion-O had and so none of them had as strong a link with Snarf. For Lion-O, the death of his most beloved friend was probably the worst thing he'd had to endure since the destruction of Thundera when he was a child. The impact of Jaga's passing, while still shocking, had been lessened by the fact that his mentor could visit him even after death, something the good old Snarf could never do.

"They will never understand," Lion-O whispered as he sat down on the steps of a still under repairs building. The construction was deserted right then, since it was still too early for any workers to be around and that made it a perfect place for him to sit and grieve alone.

Lion-O remembered all the moments he had spent with Snarf, playing in the forests of Third Earth or talking during their long walks exploring New Thundera. He remembered everything and now couldn't imagine life without his friend's company.

But that was not all that troubled him. Lion-O sighed and leaned forward, running his hands through his hair. He had a lot to worry about: the corruption of the twins and Mumm-Ra's survival, the reconstruction of the city and the welfare of his people… he also wondered if Tygra would find Pummyra or not. Lion-O could accept these problems, he had learned while living inside the Book of Omens about his responsibility as king. But the fact he could accept them and act accordingly didn't mean he was void of emotion. He could feel like the rest of his people, he could feel pain for the loss of a loved one just like them. The only difference was that he didn't have the luxury of time. He could mourn, he could worry, but he knew he could not allow himself much time for either.

And then there was the Code of Thundera he respected so much. Was it still useful in a world as upside down as this one? Mumm-Ra had destroyed everything, and now that he was busy picking up the pieces he often wondered if the people still believed in it after all they had gone through.

"Pardon my interruption, my King, but I wonder if you would like to eat something?" a voice asked, one Lion-O knew but couldn't place.

He looked up and the first thing he saw was a pink and purple fruit the likes of which Snarf had once tried to make him eat. A petite, feminine hand held the fruit and as he looked past it, he found a young woman dressed in a black leotard and white boots. She had shiny, auburn hair and white stripes adorning her skin. She stood in front of him with a concerned expression on her pretty face. Lion-O knew her then. Aliona, her father had been killed recently and he had promised her help finding the culprit. Something he had yet to do; fantastic, another thing to add to his list of worries.

"If you don't like this, I have other types of vegetables," she offered, showing him the bag she carried.

"No, this will be fine," Lion-O assured her. He took the fruit she still held out to him and managed to smile before taking a bite. "Thank you."

"I'm s-sorry to intrude on you like this. But you look troubled," she observed softly. "Are you feeling alright?"

Lion-O stared into her honey-colored eyes and found honest concern there. He wondered how it could be, he expected her to ask him about the investigation into her father's murder and instead she was offering him company.

"I-I understand if your highness doesn't want to tell me about his problems," she sighed. "But… you seem to be alone right now. Don't you want to… um… talk to someone?"

Again, Lion-O looked into her eyes and once again he found true concern about him. Still, he decided not to tell her much; she was not a Thundercat, and he didn't want gossips about him to spread in the city at a time like this.

"I just have a headache. I didn't sleep well last night," he whispered after a moment of hesitation, it wasn't really a lie, since his head did hurt a little. "I will be fine, it's nothing serious."

"I'm glad to hear that," she said. "Um… can I… well, just sit here?"

"Go ahead," he nodded.

The girl did so and sat silently at the left hand of the king. She was nervous, after all the things her late grandfather told her about the Thundercat nobles and the respect she should pay them, being this close to her _King_ was enough to scare her of making a mistake while talking to him. In fact she was starting to regret having dared to approach him in the first place. But he had seemed so sad that she couldn't help it and now she was paying the price; the girl sighed, she knew she probably looked like a fool to him. "…Thank you."

"What are you doing in the city?" he ended up asking out of courtesy.

"My mother my sister and I came here to sell our crops…" she answered, glad that he was asking the questions, since answering the king was easier than hoping to say the right thing to him.

"You're not with them," he noted.

"I'm supposed to be looking for spare parts for one of the trucks we have but it's too early, and the store is not open yet."

"It must be interesting, the work in your farm."

"It is but… I-I don't really like to be a farmer," she answered. "I mean… well, it is what supports our family and working there kept us out of the mines, but now that we're free… I wish I could do other things."

"Like what?"

"I don't know… something different."

"I've learned that sometimes we don't have a choice but to do what we're supposed to do," Lion-O said, looking at the street in front of him and thinking about how Jaga and then Snarf always told him about his duties as king and how he had to fulfill them as his destiny.

"I guess you're right, your highness," Aliona said, and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. Despite the obvious concern in his face and sadness in his eyes, Lion-O was indeed an imposing presence, and she wondered if he knew what he meant for all the people, how much they all needed him; he probably did know, but she couldn't keep from wondering.

"I have to thank you for something else," she said suddenly. "I want to thank you for coming back to us."

"Excuse me?" Lion-O was slightly surprised at hearing that. So far, even though he knew his people were grateful and had shown relief, joy and new hope now that he had returned, nobody other than his Thundercat companions had actually thanked him for it and he found it amusing that this girl from the Puma clan was the first to do so.

"I said thank you for coming back, my King. Maybe you have heard this already but you're very important for all of us. You give us something to believe in," she explained. "Now that you're here to lead us again it is like… I don't know how to put it but it's… like everything will be alright forever, because with you here the Code of Thundera means something again… and for that, I thank you."

Lion-O stared at the girl, and finally nodded with a smile, an honest smile this time. "That's good to hear. I'll do my best to live up to your expectations."

After that they both sat in silence. A few minutes later Lion-O finished his fruit and got up. He had to admit that even if Aliona didn't really talk much, what little she did say distracted him from all that troubled him. He appreciated that, but he had things to do: reunite with Panthro and Cheetara and soon head to a communications center to call Tygra for news about his search.

"I have to go," he announced. "Thank you for the fruit and the company, Aliona. I'll see you again once we have good news about locating your father's killer. Trust me, we will have him."

The young woman nodded, whispered another 'thank you' and just watched him go in silence, not too long after he left, she too got to her feet and went to run the errand her mother had asked her to do.

A few hours later, in the Frozen North Peaks…

Tygra was grateful that he had decided to bring a coat with him, as the icy winds of the northern region were merciless. The Thundercat glanced to his right to see O-Celot, who was quite warm thanks to the padding in his armor, and who was searching desperately every one of the mountains they passed by. Tygra also did his part searching the mountains on his side, but he had no luck. Still, the highest peak was already in the horizon, and he had the feeling that they would find something, good or bad, up there.

"We'll arrive to our destination soon, O-Celot," the tiger called and maneuvered his skycutter so it was as close as possible to his companion. "I'm surprised these things haven't frozen yet. I'm glad your mechanic friend juiced them up to stand the cold."

"And you didn't think they could," the large Thunderian said with a proud tone. "Anyway, do you think we'll find something? I have not seen anything so far in any of the mountains; I'm starting to believe the girl lied about this."

Tygra didn't answer, but he also felt that, probably, WilyKit had lied to Cheetara. He hadn't told anyone, but the corruption of the twins hurt him even more than any physical wound could, and he knew Cheetara felt the same way. Why shouldn't they? They had both been friends with the twin's parents; they where there when the twins were born, and when Thundera exploded they swore to secretly look after them. And they had failed. The tiger sighed. It would be a long time before he could stop blaming himself for what had happened to WilyKit and WilyKat.

"Hey, let's find somewhere near the top to land," O-Celot called. They were almost in their destination and, if what they had been told was correct, Pummyra should be in a cave near the summit.

"Yeah, let's," Tygra agreed, pushing back his regret and focusing on the job at hand.

They found a large ledge which could hold their skycutters and in a matter of minutes both Thunderians were busy searching for a cave hidden somewhere in the icy peak.

"There's something over here!" Tygra called almost half an hour later. He had found a circular opening, almost entirely covered by a wall of ice.

"Do you think she's there?" O-Celot asked, trying to hide how excited he was.

"Maybe; there is only one way to find out." The Thundercat reached for his bolo whip and flicked his wrist, sending it crashing against the ice wall with a burst of flame. The incendiary tips of the whip quickly melted the obstacle.

"Impressive," O-Celot conceded. "It's much faster than my hammer."

"Let's go," Tygra invited, entering the cave and expecting his partner to follow him.

The cave was large, incredibly cold and apparently ran deep into the mountain. Fortunately, it didn't have any forks, which would ensure they didn't get lost. Finally, after a long time walking, they both saw something glowing faintly in the dark ahead.

"What is that?" Tygra wondered, lowering his lamp to better gaze at the strange glow.

"I recognize it. It's the same…" O-Celot muttered but never finished the sentence, since he launched into a sprint towards the dim light.

Whispering a curse, Tygra ran after the ex-rebel. Didn't O-Celot understand the dangers of running carelessly inside a cave, a frozen cave? They could slip and injure themselves, fall into an opening, or even end up face to face with a band of furious Ice Trogs, all things Tygra didn't need. When he reached the ex-rebel, he was going to tell him a thing or two about prudence.

But the Thundercat didn't have the chance to give his lecture. For what he found when he finally caught up to O-Celot froze the words in his mouth. Before them was a glowing crystal sphere, large enough to contain them both, and inside was Pummyra. The female Thunderian floated gently in the center of the sphere, apparently asleep and not in pain, despite the fact that her right arm still being twisted in the wrong way.

"We have to get her out of here," Tygra announced, searching in his belt for his communicator, intending to go back to the entrance and call the other Thundercats.

That night…

Pummyra lay sleeping in the medical room of Cat's Lair. Half an hour ago two doctors the Thundercats managed to find had finished treating the fracture in her arm. The power of the Sword of Omens had been enough to somehow pierce the sphere without hurting its captive, but not enough to wake her and so Pummyra still slept. She didn't wake up when the sphere was broken, or before her surgery or after. The doctors were convinced that she was in a very deep comma, and that her chances of ever coming out of it were slim.

"She's going to be alright," Lion-O offered. It was almost midnight, and he had come by to check on Pummyra for a second time, never expecting to find O-Celot still sitting by her bed; the former rebel had not left her side at all.

"I know she will," The forgemaster answered, never taking his eyes off her. "She's a strong woman, the strongest I've ever met."

"Yes, she is strong," Lion-O agreed looking at Pummyra with troubled eyes wondering when, if at all, would she wake up.

And in the Onyx Pyramid…

Mumm-Ra stood silently in front of his cauldron, watching with great interest the new developments in Cat's Lair. WilyKit had already told him about her conversation with Cheetara, and he had forgiven her for revealing the location of Pummyra. After all, it made no difference if another Thundercat joined Lion-O's side or not. By the time his new plan unfolded everything would be lost for the miserable cub with delusions of grandeur who thought himself king and he, Mumm-Ra, would rule over this planet again.

What intrigued him, though, was the fact that Lion-O and his friends had not attacked him today. He had fully expected them to and had prepared the defenses of the pyramid accordingly. It really was surprising, considering that Lion-O had not seemed passive during their last encounter but then again, he had previously used WilyKat to manipulate the little Lion-O into his trap, so perhaps it made sense that the little king preferred to take things slowly and carefully now.

Well, if they were not going to make the first move, then the wizard would. He had granted this day of rest to both his children, letting WilyKat have access to several manuscripts containing spells he had spent the day practicing, spells which would prepare his apprentice for what they would both soon do, and he had allowed WilyKit a day enjoying the luxuries she had been deprived of since she joined the Thundercats. Both of the twins slept peacefully now but tomorrow they would have much to accomplish.

With a wave of his hand, the wizard cleared the images in his cauldron's waters and glided back to his sarcophagus. He entered a deep death-like state as soon as the cover slid completely over him.

But while Mumm-Ra rested, the dark forces inhabiting the pyramid did not. The eyes of the three crumbled statues of the ancient spirits of evil who still lived started shining a deep red the moment they felt the wizard was asleep.

"_Mumm-Ra must be punished for what he did to our brother and for what he has done to us!"_ The eyes of the first statue glittered as it send those thoughts to his siblings. _"I tire of being under his boot, we must do something!"_

"_I agree, brother!"_ the second statue thought, its eyes sparking red as well_, "But he absorbed all of our dead brother's power and with the void spell he has mastered… he could kill us all."_

"_But we must have retribution for all this humiliation!"_ the third statue countered with an angry flare of its eyes. _"And I think I have an idea of how to deal with Mumm-Ra."_

"_Tell us then, brother,"_ the other two statues urged.

"_Mumm-Ra has grown careless. His feelings for both the twins have clouded his judgment,"_ the third brother deduced. _"He no longer keeps a permanent vigil on our actions; he is too distracted by what he feels for the children to remember we are a permanent threat to him."_

"_But the moment we do anything, he will use that cursed void spell to kill our sentience and absorb our power!"_ the first brother argued.

"_True, true,"_ agreed the second brother.

"_You wish to have revenge on him as much as I do, don't you, brothers?"_ The third statue asked. _"I don't mind sacrificing my existence as long as I know I have had retribution. What say you?"_

"_Yes!"_ the other two siblings answered. _"We think the same!"_

"_Then hear me out, it will be the perfect punishment."_

And so the three remaining spirits of evil plotted, confident that their once servant, now master, was not aware of what they were preparing for him. What the ancient spirits of evil didn't know was that Mumm-Ra could indeed hear them. Even during his healing slumber, the wizard could eavesdrop on their exchange and prepare a plan of his own.

Inside his sarcophagus, the mummy grinned evilly. Oh, the next day would be so much fun indeed!

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

To be continued…

As usual, extra thanks to Adam for beta reading this chapter.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Thundercats and all related character don't belong to me

Disclaimer: Thundercats and all related character don't belong to me.

Note:

This story takes place in an Alternate Universe set immediately after the end of 'The Return' miniseries published by Wildstorm comics.

Embracing dark desires.

By

Dr Facer

Chapter 8

&

A new day was beginning, and the sun's rays struggled to pass through the thick, black clouds which covered the region around the Onyx Pyramid. Inside this dark structure the ancient wizard Mumm-Ra stared deeply in thought at the waters of his cauldron. The mage was concerned, not about the Thundercats or Lion-O, or WilyKit, the female twin he'd seduced into the darkness and who was still sleeping in her chambers. No, he was worried about WilyKat; and the reasons behind this were quite simple: unlike his sister, who took the chance to kill those she now considered inferior without hesitation, the male twin had hesitated when given the same opportunity.

Mumm-Ra could not have that! If his plans to defeat the Thundercats forever and to overcome the upcoming betrayal of the Ancient Spirits of Evil were to succeed, he needed an apprentice who was completely focused and free of doubt. And WilyKat was not yet there, at least not entirely. He had to change that and the sooner he did it, the better.

But how should he go about it? The wizard was uncertain of what to do; he had already shown his apprentice the benefits of power, he had shared some knowledge with him and the boy was certainly filled with enough anger and hate for the Thundercats. So why did Kat hesitate, why? The ancient mage could not understand. What was inside that boy's mind that kept him from being as cold and merciless as his sister could be?

Well, perhaps it was time to find out. With a wave of his hand, the wizard ordered the waters to show him the dreams of his sleeping apprentice. They were dreams of innocent days spend in Third Earth, dreams Mumm-Ra felt his student was not comfortable with, but dreams he would not shy away from. The mummy frowned. So this was it; WilyKat still had some deeply hidden, lingering feelings of appreciation to his past. It wasn't the boy's fault, of course, but those feelings still had to be removed before they caused him trouble.

And now that Mumm-Ra knew what the problem was, he also knew quite well how to solve it. Chanting a spell, the old wizard prepared to manipulate his apprentice's dreams in order to help rid him of those useless remains of his past life…

…_WilyKat looked at his surroundings with weary eyes. The forest around him was strangely familiar, and as he slowly walked under the tall trees he realized where he was: The Unicorn Forest in Third Earth. He had no idea how he had come to be there. He looked at the silver scythe he held in his hands, wondering what had happened. All he was supposed to do was to kill Mongor and take his weapon; he should be back at the Black Pyramid already! Concern for his sister growing with each step, the young Thunderian hastened his pace, if only to exit the forest and find a way to go back to New Thundera as quickly as possible, even if it meant stealing the Feliner from the semi-abandoned Cat's Lair in this world._

_But once he reached the forest's entrance, he saw something that stopped him cold in his tracks. He saw himself, more than ten years younger, talking amiably with a young girl from the Amazon village. Shocked by this scene, WilyKat hid behind a tree and watched as his younger version finished his business with the girl and saw her off. As his kid self approached, Kat remembered that day. He had actually been on a date with that girl, and he was now in route to meet with Lion-O and the Unicorn caretakers. The mere idea of him being so eager to meet with Lion-O made the adult Kat feel sick._

"_Stop right there!" WilyKat demanded when his younger version passed by his side._

_The kid WilyKat froze at the sight in front of him: a young Thunderian, dressed in white and gold, who was looking at him with an annoyed expression in his face. The man also held a silver scythe. "W-w-who are you?"_

"_That is not important," the adult WilyKat said. "I'm only here to give you some advice, and I do suggest you follow it."_

"_What kind of advice?" The child asked, backing up two steps, feeling very uneasy about the stranger in front of him and starting to fear he was actually seeing Mumm-Ra in disguise._

"_Leave the Thundercats now, you must not trust any of them!" the young adult said, unaware his eyes flared red with hate as he said so. "The only people you can trust are your sister and the person who will be your master and teacher, only them!"_

_That reddish glow in the eyes of the man was all it took for the child to be sure he was staring at Mumm-Ra; he didn't pay any attention to his so called advice. Swallowing his fear, the boy retreated a few more steps and reached slowly for one of his trick capsules, which he planned to use to cover his escape._

"_Don't even think of using one of those pellets!" the adult Kat growled, angrily raising his voice. "Just listen to me and obey; you have to leave the Thundercats now, you have to…!" _

"_I just want to run away from you, freak!" the boy shouted, closed his eyes and with a swift flick of his wrist, he threw the pellet he'd chosen to cover his escape at the feet of the angry man in front of him. When the pellet burst into a potent flash of light, kid WilyKat smirked at the angry curse the man let out and ran in the opposite direction as fast as he could._

_But the kid did not get far. An impossibly strong kick to the back struck him and he was sent bouncing all the way to the forest's entrance. Struggling to remain conscious, the boy felt himself about to panic as the white clad stranger with fire red eyes approached him._

"_Why don't you listen to what I say?" the adult WilyKat shouted. "I'm just trying to keep you from suffering, it would be so much better if you and WilyKit go and join the master right now!" _

"_And I…" The boy spat blood and fought the pain in his back. "I assume t-the master you talk a-about is Mumm-Ra?"_

"_Yes, he is."_

"_I-I would rather die than join that corpse!" Kid WilyKat said and struggled to get back to his feet._

"_You say that just because you're ignorant," the adult Kat explained and tried to help his younger version stand. "You are too young and naive, you…"_

"_Don't touch me!" The boy shouted, tossing a flare pellet at the man who tried to hold him by the shoulder. Kid WilyKat covered his face with his arms as the fierce explosion engulfed his foe, and he really hoped this would be enough to get rid of him; he wouldn't last long if he had to fight his mysterious attacker._

_But the kid never expected what happened next. A silver blade sliced through the fire and cut him deeply, opening him like a fish from his chest to his stomach. With his blood spurting from the wound, the boy fell backwards and stared in horror at the young adult, who in turn looked at him with panicked eyes._

"_Look at what you made me do!" the adult WilyKat yelled in rage, not believing how stubborn and blind his child version was. "Stupid kid! You've made me kill us both!"_

"_Just like you… killed Snarf?" The boy accused with his last breath. _

"_Snarf deserved it! ...But how do you know that? Answer me!" _

_The boy, however, did not answer; he couldn't, because he was already dead._

"_No, no! This cannot be!" WilyKat shouted as he noticed a stain of blood spread from his chest to his arms; terrified, he looked down at his hands and saw them slowly disappear into thin air. "I can't die here, not before I punish the Thundercats for what they did, I have to…"_

"…LIVE!" Panting, WilyKat looked at his hands and then around him; he was still in his chambers inside the Black Pyramid and he was sitting, sweat covered, in his bed. It had all been a nightmare? But it seemed so… real. He still felt the pain in his chest where his scythe had hit his younger version. Wiping the sweat from his face, the young man stood up and considered how he felt about the dream. Kat found he was not troubled at all by the fact that he had just killed off a child image of himself; in fact, he could not help but think that his child version had deserved it for being so stubborn and stupid. For believing all those lies about the Code and practically worshiping the floor Lion-O walked on, doing all he could to be a worthy member of the team, always trying to prove his worth to the other Thundercats, and all for nothing. Still, that was in the past, and he now knew better than to believe in Lion-O and the others.

"But why that mention of Snarf?" he thought, "Am I regretting killing that rat?"

No. WilyKat examined his emotions yet again and he felt certain he didn't have any remorse for Snarf's death in him. And if he had felt it before, it was now completely gone; gone with the rest of the guilt and remorse that had lurked in the back of his mind and which he had kept at bay, as little as it was, with a conscious effort. Now he felt free of any doubt or hesitation. He was not ashamed of the things he had to done to survive or to save his sister; he felt completely at peace with what he had become, with what he had done and with what he would do to make everything right.

…Back in the cauldron room, Mumm-Ra couldn't stop himself from laughing in pleasure at what he had just seen; finally, WilyKat had crushed the last remnants of his old life which were holding him back. The mummy was very satisfied with what the boy had done in his dreams and regretted a little not forcing the boy to face his inner doubts earlier; but the results had been perfect, so it didn't matter. And now, with a fully willing apprentice gifted with great potential in WilyKat and a fierce warrior with exceptional talent in WilyKit working for him, Mumm-Ra knew he could fight the Thundercats and win.

The only things left to do to achieve victory were to enrol the mutants, whatever was left of them, and to perform one powerful, but incredibly elaborate, spell. The spell, luckily, wouldn't be a problem if WilyKat did what he had to do as well as the mummy expected. The collaboration of the mutants wouldn't be as easy to secure, but that didn't worry him either, he had, after all, means to get what he wanted. Grinning with evil anticipation, the dark wizard called WilyKit to the cauldron room. He had a gift and a mission for the girl, and he was sure she would greatly enjoy both of them.

Meanwhile, in Cat's Lair…

Cheetara sat alone in what used to be the twins' room. She held in her hands the shredded leotard she had bought for WilyKit and just couldn't stop staring at it. Especially at the Thundercat insignia still attached to it. With a sad sigh, the woman closed her eyes and pressed the torn clothes against her chest. She knew this shouldn't be troubling her so deeply, hurting her so much; but she just couldn't stop it, the regret and shame she felt were just too great for her to handle alone. And she couldn't talk about it with anyone because of all her friends, only one could probably understand what she felt, and she feared he too was going through the same and couldn't bear the idea of passing her pain to him if she could help it.

"Tygra… are you feeling as bad as I do?" Cheetara whispered to the empty room, her tears threatening to flow and trying as best as she could not to let despair take her. She was so focused on her thoughts she didn't hear the door opening behind her.

"I was looking for you, Cheetara. Lion-O wants to go get some medical supplies to the city and he wants us to go with…"

The cheetah stiffened as she recognized the voice. It was him, Tygra, and she didn't want him to see her cry. Not now and not about the twins. She didn't stand up and she did not face him, hoping he would at least let her dry her tears.

"You are still thinking about her, aren't you?" Tygra asked in a low voice, looking with sad eyes at the tattered clothes she kept in her lap. "…About what she did."

"I can't help it," she answered, her resolve to compose herself fading as the deep regret she felt overwhelmed her and new tears glittered in her eyes. "I love her, Tygra; she is the closest thing I ever had to a daughter of my own… do you expect me not to think about her, not to blame myself for what happened to her? I-I promised her parents I would look after her and WilyKat, but now…"

Seeing Cheetara emotionally broken was not something Tygra enjoyed in the slightest; he had seen her like this almost every day during the last months of their imprisonment, when she finally started to lose hope. This was, however, only the second time he'd seen her cry because of the twins, and it pained him terribly. It pained him because he understood and shared her pain in a way the others couldn't; after all, he had made the same promise to the twins' parents and knew how defeated she felt.

Unable to see her like that Tygra did what he always did for her during their days of captivity in Castle Plundarr: he sat at her side and slowly took her in his arms, stroking her hair gently, and just like all those times in the dirty cell they shared she did not push him back.

"I made that promise too, Cheetara, and I hurt as much as you do," he whispered. "But I can't let that stop me. If I do, I won't be able to do anything to help WilyKit."

Cheetara took in a deep breath and leaned her head into Tygra's shoulder, welcoming his support and counsel, "I wish I was as strong as you. This is eating me up inside; the guilt is… where did we go wrong? I thought we had helped instil in Kit and Kat a strong sense of justice and loyalty to the code, I thought that we were doing a good job."

The tiger sighed and held Cheetara closer. "I've asked myself that question too many times already and the only answer I have is that we… we just didn't spend enough time with them. We could have, no, I should have paid more attention to them; I was so busy helping Lion-O become the King he is now that I took the twins for granted… this is my fault."

Cheetara closed her eyes and held back a sob, "And what about me? I was always exploring Third Earth, and of course, helping Lion-O grow into a King was my top priority… because of that I didn't listen to WilyKit and WilyKat as much as I should have. It isn't just your fault Tygra; both of us are to blame for what happened!"

"We can't blame ourselves forever," he said. "Instead we should try to find a way to help WilyKit. She did give you good information about Pummyra, maybe there's still a chance to rehabilitate her, maybe we can still save her from exile."

"Perhaps," Cheetara conceded, trying to forget the fear WilyKit had made her feel during their talk and instead cling to the hope that Kit still had some good and decency deeply buried in her; it was the only way they could still help her. "I pray you are right, Tygra, I really do."

Tygra and Cheetara didn't say anything else. They just sat there, finding comfort in each other's presence. After a few minutes of silence, she felt calm enough to separate from him just a little, only enough to raise his eyes and look at him. As she expected, he wasn't looking at her, his gaze was on the wall; Tygra always looked at something else while holding her, but as long as she could feel safe and serene in his arms that didn't matter. The cheetah breathed deeply and allowed herself to relax a little in his embrace. She couldn't remember when she started to feel so safe while being close to him, but she did know it happened in the cell they were thrown in at nights. Every night after Monkian did… _that_ to her, when she curled ashamed in a corner and felt her desire to live fade and her sanity abandon her, Tygra had come to her side and held her close to him. He never said anything; he just held her and shared his warmth and his strength with her until she had recovered some semblance of inner peace.

Cheetara realized that, during her captivity, Tygra had been the rock she clung to when she felt everything was lost; he had been the one who convinced her Panthro would someday come and rescue her, that they would make everything right again, that Mumm-Ra would be defeated, he had been… he had been there for her, keeping her sane and looking after her as best as he could. Unnoticed to her, Cheetara tensed at the memory of the horrors of her captivity and almost immediately, she felt his hand softly caressing her hair, apparently hoping to transmit her some comfort. It worked. It did make her feel better.

"Why are you doing it, Tygra?" She asked with a murmur, bringing her face up and staring at him with sad, tired eyes. "Why are you doing this for me, why did you do it when we were trapped in the mutant's castle?"

"Because I promised Panthro that I would look after you, and it is the right thing to do," he answered, still not looking at her.

"So you were doing it only as your duty and as a favor to my… mate." Cheetara found that calling Panthro her 'mate' while in Tygra's arms was not easy; that reminded her that she shouldn't be in the arms of another man but… she felt very safe in Tygra's embrace, even safer than when Panthro held her.

"There's another reason," Tygra admitted in a very soft voice, this time looking directly at her eyes. "The most important reason of all," the tiger breathed deeply and made a short pause. "I also did it because I care for you too much, Cheetara. I care for you as a friend but I also care for you as a…"

"Yes?" She asked, noticing how close she was to him now, so dangerously and so temptingly close; close enough to breathe his air, so close it would take only the smallest movement on her part to touch his lips with hers and she suddenly knew that she wouldn't mind that. In fact, she found that a part of her actually craved it.

That culmination, however, did not occur.

It didn't because Tygra broke his embrace and walked away from his beautiful companion with slow but steady steps. "I can't do this," he said in a trembling whisper. "We can't do this to Panthro; this is something we can never do. I'm sorry, Cheetara, I'm so sorry."

Saying no more, the tiger left the room with his head hung low and his emotions swirling like a hurricane. He didn't need this. Things were already too complicated for him to be doing this to his best friend.

And in the room, Cheetara stood alone again. She wasn't worrying about the twins now, but only because she felt torn in half and her emotions seemed to be pulling the pieces in opposing directions. Confused by these conflicting feelings, all she could do was stare silently out the window, asking herself if her feelings for Panthro were still there or if his place in her heart had died in Castle Plundarr to be replaced by… a deep love for the kind Thunderian architect, Tygra? Afraid of the answer, Cheetara decided she couldn't stay still another moment and, leaving the torn remains of Kit's uniform behind her, she left the room.

But unknown to Tygra and Cheetara someone else, another Thundercat who quickly hid behind a near corner, had accidentally heard their encounter and had decided, to avoid an uncomfortable situation, to remain silent about it until the proper time presented itself.

Hours later, somewhere in the desert around the Onyx Pyramid…

WilyKat and Mumm-Ra, who was in his warrior form, stood in the middle of a large square area paved with black, symmetrical stone tablets. There was a gigantic arch made of greenish stone on the edge of the square, facing them. The young apprentice already knew this place; he had been here when Mumm-Ra forced the Thunderian slaves to build it roughly two years ago.

Since Mumm-Ra was silent, preferring to stare contemplatively at the massive arch, the young man focused instead on trying to understand why they were there. He knew it had to do with his master's plan to recover control of the planet, but nothing else.

"Why didn't my sister come with us?" WilyKat asked suddenly, "I haven't seen her today."

"She's doing something important for me, don't worry about her; she should be here very soon," the wizard answered, still looking at the massive arch.

WilyKat was about to ask what his sister was doing when the faint sound of an engine interrupted him. Annoyed, he looked back and saw that two figures approached, blowing a wall of sand behind them. Squinting, the young wizard managed to identify one of the forms as that of his sister who rode on her space board with her usual expertise. The vehicle behind her was the one which made the noise, but he could not make out what it was or who piloted it.

"Ah… your sister arrived sooner than expected; I had hoped to have our new army here before her arrival, but this is better, this way she too will see what we'll use against Lion-O and the other obnoxious cats!" Saying this, the ever living wizard smiled evilly and once again focused on the arch, silently waiting for the other twin to get there.

And indeed, WilyKit arrived in a matter of minutes. She jumped with ease off her board, and landed in front of her master, respectfully dropping to one knee the moment she touched the ground.

"WilyKit, only one of those useless mutants is approaching!" The mummy stated his gaze firmly set on the second approaching transport. "What happened to the other one?"

"VultureMan refused our invitation, my lord. He said he had better things to do than being our lackey; I was about to kill that useless bird for his insolence, but he begged for his life and allowed JackalMan to come with me. Considering time is short and essential to the success of your plan I decided that bringing at least one of the mutants was the best option. I know it is not what you expected, my master, and I'm willing to take full responsibility for this."

Mumm-Ra stared at the young girl in front of him with newfound respect; this was the first time something like this had happened to him; normally, his subordinates tried to hide their mistakes with stupid excuses, but WilyKit was actually admitting she couldn't completely do what she was ordered to. This simple action of responsibility from this child impressed the wizard to the core, and he couldn't find it in himself to berate her for the mutant's stubbornness; besides, she did manage to bring one of those stupid creatures with her and that would be more than enough.

"There's no need to apologize, you've done well, my dear," the wizard complimented. "Now rise and come join your brother at my side."

"Thank you, my lord," the young woman smiled at the praise, and diligently did as she was told.

WilyKat looked attentively at his sister as she walked to the master's left. She was wearing slightly different clothing, it was very similar to her regular dresses, yes, but she had changed the upper part for a crop shirt and added a white cape shorter than his own to her new attire which was, as usual for WilyKit, made from the finest silk. That, however, was not what caught his eye. What really drew WilyKat's attention were the knee high boots protected by golden greaves (1) and the armed with two sharp edges golden vambraces (2) on her forearms. The male twin had to admit that this small changes made his sister look much more intimidating and worthy of respect, and he wondered if she had asked for them herself.

Seconds later a banged up Nosediver landed just outside the stone platform and JackalMan crawled nervously out of it. The canine mutant had plenty of reasons to be nervous; he and VultureMan had not expected to hear from Mumm-Ra so soon, and did not believe a word of what WilyKit said to them, until they mocked her and she almost killed them. Terrified, VultureMan had agreed to partially cooperate, and that cooperation consisted on sending him to see what Mumm-Ra wanted.

"As if things weren't bad enough…" JackalMan whispered as he struggled to keep his fear in check, "why am I the one who is always risking his neck?"

"You seem afraid, JackalMan," Mumm-Ra said once the mutant was in front of him. "Is it because you think I'm going to destroy that piece of trash VultureMan has been fixing?"

The canine backed a step, his face twisted in panic, "You knew?"

"About the space ship you are preparing to leave this planet?" Mumm-Ra laughed, "Stupid mutant, after all this years you should know that there is no secret I can't uncover!"

"You can't blame him for being an idiot, my lord," WilyKit said with an arrogant smirk. "He is a mutant after all."

"Indeed," the mage agreed, placing his hand over the girl's shoulder in a strange, almost protective gesture. "Now listen well, JackalMan; I'm willing to allow you and the other mutants to return to Plundarr if you agree to work for me one last time."

JackalMan, who had been too afraid to care about the insults the girl and Mumm-Ra had thrown at him, felt a wave of despair wash over him. Sure, Mumm-Ra would let them go if he helped him. He'd heard that one before, and it had been a lie. He was sure this time the wizard was lying as well. But still… he could hope that maybe this time…

"Fine, I'll help," the mutant grunted. "What do I have to do?"

"For the moment just stay out of our way; my apprentice and I have work to do," with this said, the wizard looked up to the sky and grinned. "It's time at last! WilyKat, come with me."

The apprentice, trailed by his sister, followed his master and listened attentively.

"I need you to summon the red lightning spell I taught you using all the magic energy you can, and then direct it at the arch," Mumm-Ra said while walking to a point directly in front of the massive construction. "In short, you must energize it; I will take care of the rest."

The young Thunderian took a very deep breath and stared at the gigantic structure he was supposed to throw a highly destructive spell at. A spell which he had never cast before and one he was supposed to cast with all the power he could. Casting red lightning shouldn't be a problem, he was sure of that; controlling it afterwards was a very different matter.

"Can you do it?"

WilyKat blinked and turned to regard his sister; she was worried about him, he could tell just by looking at the expression on her face. He appreciated it, but he didn't want to worry her more than necessary. Besides, he was sure he could cast the spell, what worried him was how difficult it would be for him to actually hit the arch and not fry everything around him.

"Yes, I can," he answered as he raised his right hand and his silver scythe materialized in front of him. He reached for it and smiled, "But I'll need this to cast it full strength."

"You can summon that thing?" The girl observed, pointing at her twin's weapon.

"It's magically bonded to me; it'll go anywhere if I call it," he explained. "Now, I suggest you stay back sister, I don't want you getting hit by accident."

Nodding, WilyKit did as her brother asked her to. Once she backed up a few steps, she watched in silence how her twin started to chant an incantation in a language she did not comprehend. The words at first appeared to have no effect but slowly, the sky darkened with large clouds blacker than a moonless night, and with the clouds came a howling wind that circled the desert around them with horrible force. Just then, when WilyKit thought the casting was over, a loud crash of thunder was heard, and then another and another, each louder than the one before. Feeling an unnatural fear she had never experienced before, the young woman looked at the clouds and gasped, they had turned blood red, and the fierce winds were making them circle right above them like a whirlwind upside down; inside that spinning pit from hell, crimson light could be seen from time to time, bursting brighter every time.

"Hear me now, ancient spirits of the night sky! I command you to unleash your crimson light of destruction, give to me the red lightning!"

WilyKit gasped as she heard her brother's plea; she didn't know his magic was now strong enough to command ancient entities just like Mumm-Ra could; her twin had claimed that his scythe amplified his power greatly, but she never thought it would enhance it this much. Amazed at her twin's progress, she began to wonder how powerful he could really become.

WilyKit heard a deafening rumble coming from deep within the clouds circling above them, and she saw how her brother raised his scythe to the sky and immediately after, a hammer of blinding red light fell on the weapon, charging it with crimson electricity that snaked out of it, cackling around and crawling over the stone tablets under WilyKat's feet. Much to WilyKit's growing concern he appeared to struggle with all his might to control the immense energy his weapon obviously could barely, if at all, contain.

"Brother…" the young female warrior whispered, her voice damped with barely suppressed fear. She had not escaped the Thundercats to see her twin fry. Unable to take it anymore, she darted her gaze towards Mumm-Ra, ready to ask him for help but when she saw her master she realized it would be futile. Mumm-Ra was not even looking at WilyKat, instead the wizard was facing the arch, his hands raised with white orbs of energy as he too prepared to do his part. "It's a two part spell…" WilyKit started as realization hit her, "That is why Mumm-Ra never tried to do anything with this arch before…"

"I'm going to release it… WilyKit, make sure you stay back!"

Noticing she had walked so close to her brother she could almost touch him, the female twin quickly retreated, swallowing her fear and hoping her brother would be able to control the power that was surrounding him with an ever growing aura of electricity.

"Please… please be careful, WilyKat, you can't die now!" she cried, hoping her voice would break through the thunderous howls of the wind. If her brother heard her or not, she couldn't know, and all she could do was to watch as still as she could how WilyKat pointed his weapon at the arch and, with a scream of pure determination, shot the full power retained in his scythe at the massive construct. For an instant, it seemed as if the red light would not hit its target and WilyKit's heart skipped a beat; if that power hit the ground and dispersed… it would fry them all! But at the last moment, her brother yelled in rage and managed to correct the trajectory of the crimson light, forcing it to hit the arch, lighting it, charging it with the unholy power of the evil spirits of the night.

WilyKit, however, paid no attention to that. She was too busy rushing for her twin, who had fallen, completely drained, to his knees. She was there in time to support her brother and keep him from completely collapsing. And then, while she held him in her arms, she heard her master's laughter pierce the howling wind around them. Knowing that her twin had done his part, WilyKit kept him close and dared to spy at what Mumm-Ra was doing.

What the wizard did was to release the orbs of energy he kept on his hands right at the middle of the area under the arch. The air there started to crack and little by little, a vortex spread until a massive tear in reality had opened, effectively turning the arch into a door to somewhere.

"YES, it is done!" Mumm-Ra yelled in triumph, "The entrance to the plains of the underworld has been opened! Now an unstoppable army of death will finally walk this planet ready to kill everything I command!"

Just as the evil wizard finished a large creature which seemed to be born in a nightmare jumped out of the vortex, immediately followed by another, and another… and another until at least fifty of the things snarled, crawled or jumped around Mumm-Ra and the twins, apparently awaiting commands. WilyKit and WilyKat didn't need to be told what these hideous monsters were; they both had seen them before. These indescribable horrors were, plain and simply, the deadly Demon Beasts Mumm-Ra had used to kill Thunderian rebels in the deep bowels of the Onyx Pyramid. The twins, however, had never seen them in such large quantities. Their master had never brought more than six from the underworld at once. Never that is, until now.

WilyKat, still on his sister, stared in awe at the huge number of beasts and was startled when he felt a cold hand on his shoulder. When he turned he saw his master was offering him a pleased smile.

"You did well, son," the mage commended. "I'm very proud of you."

The praise seemed to give Kat some of his energy back, as with the help of his WilyKit, he managed to rise to his feet and give a nod to his master. The ancient mage nodded back in acknowledgment and then turned to regard the largest of all the Demon Beasts. The wizard gave some orders to the creature and after that, he went to see where the useless JackalMan had gone; still, Mumm-Ra's thoughts wandered back to the twins.

"What an interesting pair those two are…" Mumm-Ra thought as he looked around for the canine mutant. It had not escaped him how WilyKit seemed so worried for her brother and at the same time, filled with pride for him. "They are now so full of anger and hate for the Thundercats, yet they are still able to love and support each other as siblings… I've never found something like that before…I wonder if…"

Mumm-Ra put those feelings aside for the time being, he would continue musing about the twins' uniqueness later; right then, what truly mattered to the immortal was to put his demon beasts into action. He wanted fear and despair to rise in order to make sure the Thundercats would not have the help of the population when he released his final strike against them. That was why he was only sending fifty demon beasts this time, and that was why he was sending a mutant leading them instead of one of his children.

Or he would, if he could just find that useless dog. Pacing angrily through the horde of creatures he had just brought into this world, the ever living wizard darted his gaze right and left, trying to find JackalMan with no success until he reached the edge of the platform. There he found the canine mutant, hiding behind a rock, trembling like a terrified dog. But then again, that was what JackalMan was.

"Get back on your feet, dog!" Mumm-Ra ordered not bothering to hide his disgust at the mutant's cowardice. "You had the honour to witness one of the most impressive displays of magic in centuries and you hide from it? Stand up, you maggot I'll show you appreciate what we've done here!"

JackalMan didn't even try to answer; instead he tried to crawl away from the wizard. He had no idea what Mumm-Ra was planning to do, but he did know he wanted to get as far away as possible from those things he had brought from who knew where. But he couldn't get anywhere; Mumm-Ra fiercely grabbed him by the shoulder and lifted him up, forcing him to watch the abominations that had come from the underworld.

"Look at them, JackalMan, look at them well," the wizard hissed into the frightened mutant's ear. "They are my Demon Beasts and you're going to take them to my former capital. That is all you'll have to do, guide them to their destination; once they're there, you can stay and watch the carnage or go back to VultureMan; your choice."

"You want me to lead those beasts, a-are you out of your mind, Mumm-Ra?" The jackal cried, "They'll kill me the moment we're out of your sight!"

"They won't," the wizard assured him. "They only attack those I command them, and I ordered them to attack the Thunderians in the city."

"I-is that really all you want?" Now that immediate danger was out of the way, JacklaMan was starting to be more cooperative.

"Yes, that is all I want."

"Alright I'll do it!" JacklaMan agreed, "Just don't make me look at those things anymore!"

Mumm-Ra laughed at the quivering mutant. "That's a good dog, now get on your vehicle and lead my forces to that city!"

Shortly after, Mumm-Ra, with the twins at his side, watched in silence as JackalMan and the demon beasts vanished into the distance. The portal in the giant arch was still open, and the immortal one intended to summon more creatures from the underworld very soon, but not until after this first attack was over.

"Sending that imbecile was a mistake."

The wizard heard what WilyKit said and turned to look at her; she was staring at the horizon with a frown adorning her face. She obviously was displeased about what he had just done. Concerned, Mumm-Ra gazed at his apprentice to see if he felt the same way, but WilyKat was studying the vortex behind them and didn't seem to be concerned about the result of the attack one way or the other.

"Would you care to explain?" Mumm-Ra inquired. "Why is sending JackalMan a mistake?"

"He fears the Demon Beasts; he won't stay around to make sure the attack succeeded. He is also very likely to talk about what we're doing here if he is caught," WilyKit explained. "It is not too late, master; I can still go and replace him, I can…"

"You can stay here," the immortal wizard interrupted. "I have my reasons to want a mutant leading this attack."

"But…"

"Patience will bring victory," a surprisingly calm Mumm-Ra advised. "Don't forget that lesson, my dear girl; it is one that has served me well throughout eternity."

"That might be so," Kit answered, "But unlike you, my lord, my brother and I don't have an eternity."

Mumm-Ra frowned at that comment. Yes, the girl had a point. Closing his eyes, thinking about what the girl said, the twisted mind of the wizard soon came up with an idea that would not only provide him the means to further protect his own existence, it would also very likely please the twins greatly and increase their building power much more.

"It is true that you don't," the wizard agreed, looking at both his children. "But I think I can change that. Would you like to know how?"

The city, almost one hour later…

The streets were extremely crowded, both with people busy with the rebuilding and those occupied with commerce; but every Thunderian made time to greet and offer their respect and unlimited admiration to the young, tall man who was currently walking through the main avenue. This young man was none other than Lion-O, their king and liberator, the one who brought the tyrannical rule of Mumm-Ra to an end in a single day. The gorgeous woman at his side was also the target for plenty of praise herself; the female was Cheetara, also one of the heroes who helped bring the dark wizard down. But the Thundercat nobles, while answering politely the words of encouragement they received, were not in the brightest of moods: Lion-O, wearing now a black jumpsuit, was still mourning the lost of his best friend and Cheetara was still deeply hurt by WilyKit's recent actions and very confused about her feelings for the two men in her life. Still, the presence of the Thundercats was needed in the city to keep the morale high, and even if they were not as emotionally stable as they would like, they could still fulfil this purpose and besides, they did need to buy some medicine.

"I see you finally demolished Mumm-Ra's temple," Cheetara appreciated, trying to start a conversation with which she could take her mind off what troubled her.

"Tygra took care of it," Lion-O answered, his voice still tainted by sadness. "He and the engineers managed to do it faster that we expected."

Cheetara tried to ignore the mention of the tiger. Tygra had not talked to her more than what was absolutely necessary since their exchange that morning, and had excused himself as soon as they arrived to the Thunderian Capital, claiming he had something to discuss with the Earl of the city.

"It's a shame Panthro didn't come," Lion-O said suddenly, interpreting his friend's silence as her missing her mate. "But one of us had to stay behind, in case Pummyra wakes up."

"I understand that," Cheetara said. "By the way, is that man still in the Lair?"

"O-Celot? Yes, he was guarding Pummyra's room last time I checked."

"It seems he is incredibly loyal to her, then."

Lion-O nodded. "Yes, he is. I don't think he's slept at all since Pummyra was rescued."

"I'm sure she would like to know someone is that devoted to her," she sighed wistfully, her mind still torn because of the events from just a few hours ago. "I know I would."

Whatever Lion-O's answer to that comment would be, he never got to say it; for the Sword of Omens roared, a warning for its master of something dangerous in the vicinity.

"I didn't need this today," the young king worriedly muttered as he reached for his sword and brought the hilt to his eye's level. "Sword of Omens, grant me sight beyond sight!"

The sword obeyed the command, and what Lion-O saw, he couldn't put into words; in fact, the images the eye presented him with shocked him so much that he felt his knees weaken for a fraction of a second before his iron will and endless courage steeled his resolve again.

"What did you see?" A concerned Cheetara asked; she had noticed how Lion-O had seemed to pale and waver for a moment before he regained control.

"Something awful, I can't describe it, it was…" he tried to explain, his face stern and serious. Lion-O gave Cheetara a grim look and shook his head. "This will be truly terrible, and we'll have to contain it before it invades the more populated areas of the city!"

As Cheetara was about to ask for more information, a loud explosion was heard on the distance, followed by a thick pillar of black smoke and by the screaming of the frightened population.

"How did they get here so fast? Cheetara, we…" The young king called his friend, but the female Thundercat was already gone in a beam of orange and yellow that darted through the streets at impossible speeds. Lion-O was about to follow her, but he found his path blocked by a crowd of terrified men, women and children.

"_What is going on?"_ A Thunderian man demanded his voice filled with fear.

"_Is Mumm-Ra attacking us again?"_ A second one asked.

"_I don't want to go back to the mines!"_ A third shouted.

"_I can't be a slave for those mutants again!"_ A young female cried.

Still screaming their fears as loud as they could, the multitude begged their king to save them, reminding him that he was the only one who could and all the while blocking his path. Doing his best to calm down and to pass through the wall of scared Thunderians, Lion-O wished that somehow, Tygra was on his way to help because he was certain Cheetara would not be able to face the threat the sword had shown him.

Several streets away, Cheetara ran faster, if the desperate and panicked people she crossed in her path were an indication, she was almost already to the place of the explosion. She did feel a slight hint of remorse about leaving Lion-O so suddenly to come and investigate on her own, but she had reacted on instinct. Besides, this gave her the opportunity to focus on something other than what had happened earlier with Tygra; a fight was something she could lose herself in, forgetting, if only for a little while, about all the conflicting emotions she felt.

But her craving for a fight died as soon as she arrived at the origin of the smoke pillar: the newly restored Thundrillium Power Plant in the slowly, but steadily waking industrial zone near the outskirts of the city. The smoke came from the ruins of an adjacent building to the plant, but that was not what had frozen Cheetara in her tracks.

What froze her and shook her to the core was the image of incredible carnage before her. It was unlike anything she had ever seen. Not when se had been on her first real combat, not in Third Earth, not even when Mumm-Ra led an army of mutants against them; this was beyond anything she could imagine. At least a hundred dead Thunderians were in front of her, all of them disembowelled or decapitated. But worse than that horrific picture were the creatures responsible for it; beasts that threw themselves with monstrous ferocity at the Power Plant's gates, scratching at walls, or that hunted down the few Thunderians that were unfortunate enough to still be in the area.

"Great Jaga… what in the name of the ancient kings are those things?" Cheetara gasped as horror crawled down her spine at the sight of the demon beasts; horrible, massive crimson creatures with solid, muscular arms ending in long tentacle-like fingers filled with thorns, broad chests covered by obsidian black, shiny scales, their backs protected by sharp spikes that protruded out of their spines, all of this carried by powerful, thick legs which ended in scaly claws. The worst, though, was the horrible mess of flesh that passed as a face, it was little more than a long mouth which segmented in four mandibles full of yellow teeth; two green, round eyes and four horns that shot back from what appeared to be the beast's forehead, but what made this caricature of a face so horrible was the way the flesh seemed to move and crawl over it, as if it was nothing more than a bunch of blood covered worms trying to consume the last of a piece of rotting meat.

Forcing herself to overcome the initial shock Cheetara quickly assessed the situation. There was still people trying to escape, and the workers in the plant were holding it as best as they could; some of them were even shooting with laser guns at the creatures, not that it helped much, as the beasts seemed impervious to those attacks. But the people in the plant were at least safe for the moment. Deciding that the best course of action would be to try to lure as many of the creatures away from the city as possible, Cheetara reached for her staff, extended it to full length and charged as fast as she could at a small group of the monsters in hopes she could grab their attention.

Cheetara managed to hit one of the beasts in its misshaped face, dropping the creature on its back thanks to the added strength her impulse gave her; gaining some confidence from this, the Cheetah jumped to her left, twirled her staff and turned to face the other creatures, taking on a very defensive stance to decrease the chance of being surprised.

"All of you try to get away from here!" she shouted at the Thunderians who had seen her fell the beast. "I'll distract these things for as long as I can, go now and make sure the king gets here!"

The female Thundercat held her stance for two more seconds, succeeding in getting the complete attention of the creatures around her, even the five that were at the Power Plan gates, passing as a defiant and easy to tackle target. All of this to give the people a chance to get away; luckily the other Thunderians obeyed her and fled the scene. Now all she hoped was that the dozen of creatures which surrounded her were all the beasts that had attacked the city. When she saw out of the corner of her eye the last Thunderian race around a corner, she moved again, using her speed to keep the monsters out of balance, escaping narrowly the finger-like tentacles trying to grab her, hitting them as often as she could, all the while steadily leading the creatures away from the Power Plant, right into the path that would take them out of the city. It was the only plan Cheetara had and luckily, it seemed to be working. Now if Lion-O or Tygra could only arrive to help her…

…Lion-O couldn't get through. The minute he managed to convince the people around him to let him pass, another group came and begged for protection. It had been minutes already since the explosion happened, and he feared the worst for Cheetara; all he could hope was that Tygra was with her and that Panthro was on his way as well. He could not simply push past his people when they were so afraid. The young king was so off balance from this situation that he had not even considered using the sword to flash the Thundercat emblem into the sky to both inspire and encourage his people.

"You can't leave us, you must protect us!" an old man pled, tugging at Lion-O's arm.

"What if the ones who attacked come and you're not here?" A little girl asked with tear-filled eyes.

"That is why you must let me through! I must go and stop this!" Lion-O argued, keeping his voice as calm as he could and at the same time trying to give it a commanding tone and failing miserably.

"You can fight them when they're here!" The old man insisted. "You can't leave us alone, you can't be so heartless!"

"I'm not I just…"

"That's enough!" A voice said harshly. "The only heartless here are all of you. Don't you see every second you hold back the king the situation gets worse? There could be people dying that would have been saved if you just let the king do what he must!"

The little outburst seemed to surprise the mass of people around the king so much they actually made way for him to pass. Lion-O, as surprised as everyone else, looked at his right to see who had helped him. It turned out to be a middle aged female who had a little girl at her side. He knew this woman; he'd been at her farm not too long ago. She was the widow of the farmer that had been mysteriously killed. He even remembered her name: Cougara.

"I hope you didn't mind my interruption, my lord," the woman said and bowed. "But it seemed you needed assistance."

"Yes… thank you, I really appreciate your assistance," Lion-O said as he returned the bow. "I assure you that everything will be alright."

"My lord… I don't mean to impose, but my eldest child went to see if she could help; I don't want her to be a burden so if you see her, could you please send her back?" Cougara asked.

"I'll do what I can," Lion-O promised and ran in the same direction Cheetara had; trying to understand why was his people so afraid. They had fought the mutants and gained their freedom not too long ago, and the reason for their current panic escaped him. Finding no answer to this question, the young king focused on running.

"I hope we're not under attack and this was all an accident," the woman muttered while looking at the young king run.

"Is my sister going to be alright?" the little girl asked her mother.

"Yes, of course; the king is going to make it right, you'll see," Cougara whispered to her daughter. "Still, your sister should have stayed with us, rushing to see the place of the explosion was not smart."

Oblivious to all but his growing concern that he would not make it in time to help his friend, Lion-O ran as fast as he could…

…Cheetara kept circling the beasts for almost a minute, confident now that she could keep this up long enough for her team-mates to arrive and help her and she felt somewhat relieved that her idea seemed to be working so well. But as she thought of that a piercing pain shot through her arm and stomach and her body was lifted high into the air and crushed by what seemed to be steel wires. Holding back a scream, Cheetara looked down to see the tentacles of one of the beasts around her abdomen and left arm, the thorns in it shredding her skin like sharp razors. Frantic, the Thundercat tried to break free, but she found the creature's grip to strong; realizing she would die if she didn't escape the woman tried hitting the beast, but it was useless, she didn't have leverage to put enough strength on her attacks. As a last, desperate measure she stabbed at the monster's open jaw, sinking her staff into its throat and with a final flick of her wrist, she made her weapon extend, the other end of the pole shooting out of the demon's back, effectively impaling it.

For one instant, Cheetara felt as if the creature was going to crush her, but suddenly its tentacles grew limp and she fell to the ground. A fraction of a second after, the demon too fell heavily; its eyes blank and purple blood gushing out of its jaws. Panting and bleeding from several scratches, Cheetara pulled her weapon out of the corpse and rose to her feet, determined to keep on fighting. The fierce female had expected that the shock of seeing one of their own die would either scare the demons away or at least made them wary enough of her that she could get a few seconds to gather herself again or… the last option would be them attacking her again immediately with much more ferocity than before. Unfortunately for her, that last option was precisely what happened.

She tried to move out of the way as soon as the beasts charged her but the wounds hindered her speed and as a result, Cheetara could not avoid the first hit, a long swipe, by one of the creatures. She took it squarely on the side, and was sent flying against a wall, which cracked with the force of the impact. She fell to her hands and knees and struggled against the pain to remain conscious, but she was finding that incredibly difficult to do.

When the creatures where five steps away from her, Cheetara realized that unless a miracle happened, she was going to die. She was sure of it. At least she had helped save some people and she took one of those demons down and that made her feel a little bit better. But still, for her to die here, with so many things still left to do, with so many feelings to sort out… it would be a complete waste.

When one of the demons was about to pounce on her, a miracle did happen…

…He was closer now; only two turns and four more streets before he got to the Power Plant. Lion-O knew the attack took place there, the Eye had shown him that the beasts were heading for that building. He reasoned that their goal was to leave the city in the dark, to keep the people scared and unable to organize. But he would not allow that. He would stop this somehow; he was not there the first time something similar happened, and he would not let it happen again. Not matter what the cost, he would keep this world safe for his people.

He heard a loud crash as he approached a corner, which was followed by a female Thunderian landing unceremoniously a few steps ahead from him. The female was not getting up and just sat where she fell, with a hand covering her left shoulder. Lion-O knew who she was; she wore a black and white leotard and she had auburn hair.

A roar from behind the corner was heard then, and a huge, hideous, crimson creature came into view, with its thorn filled, tentacle-like fingers and mandibles ready to kill. There was something else, though; the creature had a very big boomerang stuck on the middle of its chest. It was a wound that would have stopped other creatures of similar size on the spot, but this monster didn't seem to feel any pain or to notice the purple blood gushing out of the wound; the beast grabbed the weapon, pulled it out of his body and tossed it aside, all the time simply marching forward, ready to kill its prey.

Lion-O, however, had other plans. He had been doubting the Sword of Omens would be sharp enough to hurt the monsters, as he had encountered creatures that could withstand hits of his weapon before, but the fact Aliona's boomerang had managed to pierce the beast's skin was all he needed to know his blade would be completely effective. With a quickness that would have impressed even Cheetara, the young king jumped at the beast, drew his sword midair, commanded it to grow to its full size and just as he landed, formed a descending arc with the blade that cleanly cut off the creature's head.

The king kept the sword up in front of him until the body of the monster fell twitching on its side. Lion-O knew he only got an easy kill because he had surprised the monster, and was aware he would probably not have that chance again. Grunting at the decapitated head, he kicked it away and picked up the girl's weapon. The leather wrapping in the middle of the boomerang was gone, revealing a Thundercat emblem adorning it. A very interesting finding for sure, but he didn't have the time to ask about it. Putting aside what he had discovered for the moment, Lion-O turned to the girl, who was still sitting immobile on the ground, just staring at the corpse of the creature that had chased her while holding tight her wounded shoulder. She didn't move when Lion-O stood just in front of her.

"Hey," he called, holding her weapon to her. When the young woman didn't respond, he offered a hand to help her up and allowed his voice to rise slightly louder. "Aliona, look at me. I don't have time for this so please look at me!"

The woman blinked once. Then she did it again and after the third time, she managed to move her eyes from the twitching corpse to the man in front of her, "Those things are stronger than Ice Trogs, far tougher too."

"I know," Lion-O said, glad the girl had snapped out of her shock. She took his hand, and he carefully helped her to her feet. "How is your shoulder, will you be alright?"

Aliona reached for her boomerang and strapped it on her back; she didn't seem to notice the wrapping she kept on it was gone. She then looked at her shoulder, it was still bleeding, but it wasn't a deep wound and it luckily didn't hurt much. "Yes… I'll have to go see a doctor, but I'll be fine."

"So, why did you come? This is too dangerous," Lion-O scolded her.

The girl sighed and held her wounded shoulder again. "Everyone was so scared, and I…"

"Weren't you afraid?"

"I was terrified, I still am," She said. "But someone had to do something until my lord or his friends came to help and well… I do have a weapon…"

"I appreciate your courage, but doing this with no proper training was foolish," Lion-O reprimanded. "You shouldn't risk your life like this; your mother was worried sick about you!"

"I know. It's just that…"

"Look, I really have to go. Just make sure you see a doctor, I'll visit you later. I promise you that," Lion-O said, ending the conversation and with that oath, he jumped over the dead beast and ran, this time faster than before hoping he could make up for the time he had spent helping the young woman whom he had, again, met at the most unexpected place…

…A burst of flame flashed in front of her, burning the creature's chest and forcing it to retreat back to the other monsters that followed it. Cheetara weakly looked upon her savoir: Tygra. He was finally here.

"I'm sorry I'm late. How are you doing?" he asked, cracking his whip again to keep the beasts away.

"Not too good, but I'll live," she answered with a weak voice, struggling to get up by leaning on her staff. "Where is Lion-O?"

"I don't know," Tygra said. "I thought he was with you."

"I left him behind. I raced here on my own after the explosion."

"I did the same, but the people wouldn't let me through until I assured them I would fix this mess; they're all too scared, Cheetara, I'm guessing that is what is keeping Lion-O," the tiger explained. He didn't mention it, but it was taking all he had to remain calm, the situation was not looking very good; he had jumped to protect Cheetara but instead of just carrying her back to the roof, he had allowed the monsters to back him up against a wall. Now all he could do was to hold on for as long as he could, which considering how little room he had to manoeuvre, would not be long.

"Cheetara, can you run?" Tygra asked. If she could, then perhaps she could still escape.

"I don't know," Cheetara admitted. She still felt pain and was still weak; it took most of what she had just to stay on her feet behind Tygra. "I… I can try, but I wouldn't get very far."

Tygra didn't answer; he instead whipped a beast in the eyes, glad that by some miracle none of the creatures had got a hold on his whip. Fine, Cheetara couldn't run, that didn't leave him too many options on how to escape. In fact, it left him only one. He would have to try something that he had not used since the days in Third earth. Now all he could hope for was that it worked.

"We're going to get out of here, get ready," Tygra swore and taking in a deep breath, he launched the three tips of his whip high in the air, where they split from the main line and fell hard into the ground, bouncing one, two, three times, drawing impossible curves to follow until they stopped. When it was all done, the Bolo whip had formed a protective web around Tygra and Cheetara, one that would allow them to safely jump to a nearby roof from where they could escape.

"Hold on," the tiger ordered, his eyes never leaving the confused beasts that were tugging at the web, even biting it while snarling in a furious animal rage. "The whip wont hold for more than a few seconds, this is our only chance, so please don't let go."

"I won't."

Tygra nodded and pulling Cheetara close, jumped and bounced off the web lines his whip had created; with just four leaps, he landed on the roof and deposited Cheetara safely on it. He heard the loud angry growling and roaring below and risked a smile. Their escape had been successful. Now he just needed to untangle his whip and they could figure out what to do next.

The creatures below, however, did not share that line of thought; as Tygra flipped his wrist to untangle his whip, he was pulled hard from the other end. It was so sudden he lost his balance and fell from the edge, knowing quite well that death waited below. But his fall was interrupted, someone reached for his hand and held him; looking up he saw who.

"Let go of the whip, Tygra!" Cheetara muttered through clenched teeth. "I can't pull you up!"

Tygra looked down at the monster pulling at his whip, waiting for him to fall and then he looked at Cheetara. "No," he said. "I'll distract them so you can hide or escape."

"Are you INSANE?" she yelled, her grip was weakening too fast, and Tygra was not doing anything to help. "You can't die like this!"

"You trust me so little?" He asked. "I know what I'm doing, let go."

"How can you say that?" She yelled, darting her other hand forward to secure her failing grip on Tygra's arm. "What will I do if you die?"

Whatever Tygra was going to answer was cut off by a loud explosion that shook the building; the Power Plant was still standing but it was on fire. The force of the detonation, however, had consequences for the two Thundercats, mainly Cheetara loosing her hold and Tygra falling to his death in the waiting jaws of the demons.

At the last moment Tygra did a quick roll and planted his feet on a demon's head, bouncing from it and clearing the semicircle they formed around the building. This move surprised the creatures, and Tygra was able to yank his whip free.

Tygra risked a glance at the Power Plant; the fact the edifice and half the city were still in one piece meant that the power generators didn't blow up, so the explosion and the fire surely came from either the storage or the energy converter rooms. The latter option was the worst, since it would take weeks to repair and more to build a new energy converter.

"Damn these things!" he muttered; his attention back on the creatures that had finally decided to attack him, all twelve of them at the same time.

The tiger took in a deep breath and prepared for the onslaught that was coming. He could probably face and perhaps defeat one or two of the creatures, but a dozen… a dozen was too much. Still, if he had to die this day, at least he would die on his own terms.

A loud 'Ho!' was heard, followed by a young man jumping into the fray, bringing down a sword and cleanly cutting a beast in two. It was, of course, Lion-O; the young king had finally arrived to fight along his friends and the determined look in his face made it clear he would not have mercy on those who had attacked his people.

"I'm glad I'm not too late," Lion-O said, never taking his eyes off the demons. "Are you alright, Tygra?"

"Yes. Cheetara is slightly hurt, but she will be fine."

"Good," the young king nodded and saying no more, he leapt into battle.

Lion-O fought fiercely, more fiercely than never before. He was swinging his sword like a furious barbarian, cleaving a path of purple blood as he advanced towards the Power Plant. In other circumstances Lion-O wouldn't have fought like this, but he had been subjected to blow after blow the last few days, blows he had taken and buried deep down: the needs of protection and expectations of his people, the betrayal of WilyKit, the death of Snarf… all of those things had been building inside him and now this brutal attack… it was the last straw; all those emotions he kept buried, he consciously let them out in the battle.

And so, Lion-O let himself go completely, turning every emotion he felt into something that would boost his skill for the fight at hand. This was something the elders inside the Book of Omens had taught him, negative emotions are a part of everything, but they still can be channelled into something positive and, as long as they didn't take over the mind of the warrior, they could be utilized as a source of strength. And this technique worked. It worked quite well; in less than three minutes, Lion-O had killed ten of the twelve creatures and wounded gravely the other two, who were now limping as fast as they could towards the road out of the city.

Lion-O was now much calmer, and watched as the creatures squirmed away with no intention in following them; they would probably go back to their master, and the point that he was not playing games anymore would be made.

He was about to turn at Tygra, to ask him for help putting out the fire in the Power Plant when he heard an engine start somewhere near. Looking at his left, Lion-O saw a Nosediver blast out from behind a small lodge. The vehicle was piloted by a mutant. A canine mutant the Thundercat lord knew all too well.

"JackalMan!" Lion-O shouted. He was convinced that it had been the mutant who led the beasts into the city. Gritting his teeth, Lion-O shot a blast of energy from the sword at the escaping vehicle, burning out its engine and forcing it to crash. The mutant climbed out of the wreckage and wasted a couple of seconds staring at the Thunderian king before he finally decided to run away.

"Tygra, stop him," the young king ordered.

"Consider it done," the tiger said, using his whip's miraculous range to tightly tie JackalMan up and drag him to him before the mutant gave more than five steps.

Luckily for Lion-O, many Thunderians that had taken refuge inside the cabins and buildings around the Power Plant had come out, and they were busy fighting the fire consuming it, this gave the young king the chance he needed to focus on the mutant and interrogate him.

"What were those hideous things?" Lion-O literally snarled as he grabbed JackalMan by his shoulders.

"T-t-they a-are called D-d-demon Beasts…" JackalMan stammered and coughed a little, he was still shocked both by what the beasts had done to the Thunderians here, butchering them far worse than anything the mutants from Plundarr had done before, and by the way Lion-O had fought them.

"I imagine then," Tygra said, "that Mumm-Ra sent you with them?"

JackalMan nodded. "Yes, he told me to lead them here… that's all I had to do!"

"Where did they come from?" Lion-O asked his voice still rough but not as angry as seconds before. "Do you know?"

"I don't… Mumm-Ra and his disciple… they opened this energy gate or something and…"

"Disciple, you said?" Tygra interrupted. "Mumm-Ra has an apprentice?"

"Yes, he has one," JackalMan's eyes glittered a little; it seemed he now had something to bargain with and avoid being tossed into a cell. "And I bet you would love to know who he is. I'll tell you if you let me go."

"What about you tell us and we make sure you have decent imprisonment instead of a dark room in a prison basement?" Lion-O threatened.

The canine mutant opened his mouth to answer, but was cut short by a scratching noise that came from beneath the ground. The noise got louder and louder until it seemed to be all around the Thundercats and the people fighting the fire in the Power Plant.

And suddenly, several Demon Beasts dug themselves out of the ground while others jumped out of the windows from the Power Plant, quickly surrounding Lion-O, Tygra and JackalMan. The creatures were growling and gurgling in a way that was obviously mocking their victims and hearing that sound was enough to make even Tygra sweat cold.

"I didn't tell you before, but there were many more Demon Beasts than the ones you fought," the jackal said as he eyed the beasts carefully, he still didn't like them and still feared they would jump on him any moment.

"There must be over thirty of them!" Lion-O drew the Sword of Omens and prepared to defend himself. He didn't even think of calling Panthro with the Thundercat summon; it would be too late by the time he got to the city and besides, performing the motions to execute the call would be a waste of time he certainly did not have. "Damn it! I don't think I can fight so many!"

Tygra didn't answer; he didn't have any reassuring comments or helpful advice to offer. All he could manage to do was to spare a glance at the roof he'd left Cheetara on and sigh relieved when he saw she still was there, safe at least for a few more minutes. And he was determined to give her those few minutes. With a flick of his wrist, Tygra unbounded JackalMan and held his whip in front of him, ready to fight to the death.

Jackalman, being the practical coward he was, decided that this was the perfect opportunity to leave unnoticed, and he did not hesitate at all in taking the chance. Sliding slowly behind the Thundercats, he made his way so he could pass between the Demon Beasts, not that he intended to even touch one of them, and ran as fast as he could once he had passed them.

And then, as if they were one, the creatures attacked.

"Curse you, Mumm-Ra…" Lion-O whispered, bracing himself for the attack.

But it never came. Just as the leading beast's exceedingly large tentacle-like fingers were about to deliver a powerful swipe to Lion-O's side, it and the rest of creatures evaporated, disappearing into a grey cloud of gas that the wind blew away.

"What in the name of Jaga just happened?" The young king asked out loud, confused as he looked around, noticing JackalMan was gone but not caring enough to act on that fact. "I don't understand… what is Mumm-Ra planning?"

&

To be continued…

Notes: As usual, extra thanks to Adam for beta reading this chapter.

(1) Greaves are pieces of armour that protect the legs.

(2) Vambraces are tubular or gutter protections for the forearms.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Thundercats and all related character don't belong to me.

Note:

This story takes place in an Alternate Universe set immediately after the end of 'The Return' miniseries published by Wildstorm comics.

Embracing dark desires.

By

Dr Facer

Chapter 9

The twins stood side by side, very still and very close to Mumm-Ra, exactly as he ordered them to do. They felt somewhat uneasy as to why they had returned to the Onyx Pyramid, and were still outside the dark construction. But, puzzled as they were, they weren't anxious enough to ask about their master's actions, at least not yet.

The evil wizard, still in his mighty warrior form, had not moved since they arrived to the Pyramid; he hadn't even opened the doors. He simply stood there, deep in thought, considering recent and future events that were of great interest to him. The most important of them was, of course, the upcoming betrayal of the Ancient Spirits of Evil, and rightfully so; now that his plan to leave the capital city defenseless had succeeded, the wizard could afford not to think about the Thundercats for at least one night and instead focus on how to outsmart the Ancient Spirits of Evil.

The wizard had listened to what they wanted to do to him and, loathe as he might be to admit it, Mumm-Ra had to concede that what the spirits plotted was brilliant: they intended to destroy his body and seal his spirit in the Void, just as he'd done to one of them.

The wizard had worried for hours, trying to find a way to prevent that, and while he had a couple of viable, but not very useful options, it had been WilyKit's mention of she and her brother not having an eternity which really gave him the idea for the best solution to his problem; a solution which would not only give him great benefits, but one that would also enhance the twins' natural skills to higher levels.

The dark mage was certain the twins would agree to do this. After all, they had no reason to refuse him. Besides, Mumm-Ra was not going to take any risks while dealing with the Ancient Spirits of Evil. Yes, he would have to use the twins; it was the only way to ensure his permanence in this realm of existence. WilyKit and WilyKat would become his anchor to this world. They would be the key to assure he would never be sealed in the Void unless something catastrophic happened, and the chances of such an event happening were so infinitesimally low that he would essentially be completely safe from any attack those backstabbing omnipotent bastards threw at him.

"My lord, is there a problem?" WilyKit, finally tired of waiting, asked. She was not really concerned, because it was normal for her master to be contemplative, but Mumm-Ra had been standing silently for moments on end now. "I thought you wanted to tell us something?"

The Wizard stared at the female twin and a wicked smile crept over his face. "Yes, you are right, my dear. There's something I must ask to you both. Tell me, children, do you want to be immortal?" The mage asked and raised both hands in an inviting gesture. "Would you like to have eternity to achieve your goals?"

"Yes, yes I would!" WilyKit answered quickly, her voice filled with eagerness and untamed anticipation. "I want to live forever!"

WilyKat on the other hand, remained silent and thoughtful, clearly not sharing his sister's enthusiasm. He knew well immortality would be incredibly useful to him and he certainly wanted it… but he suspected he would have to pay dearly for such a great prize, and he was not sure it would be worth the price.

The wizard, worried about the male twin's silence, glanced at his apprentice as discreetly as he could and noticed his veiled cautiousness about the offer immediately. Mumm-Ra was sure the boy was wondering about what he would have to give in exchange for immortality and, the mage had to admit, the boy's wariness impressed him. It showed him to be far more intelligent, cautious and less arrogant than he himself had been when he first dealt with the Ancient Spirits of Evil. The boy's fears though, were completely unnecessary.

"What is it, son?" The mummy asked. "It seems you're not interested in my offer."

"How could you not want this, brother?" WilyKit asked with an incredulous expression on her face. She just couldn't believe her brother would refuse an offer like this.

"I am interested, and I do want it," WilyKat answered to both his teacher and sister. "But I…"

"…Fear the price you must pay for it?" Mumm-Ra finished. "Don't worry my boy; your fears are completely uncalled for, listen…"

Kit frowned as she realized her brother was right in being cautious; she had been so excited with the idea of being immortal that she had failed to realize that she would have to pay for it. Feeling very ashamed with herself for not realizing something so important before, WilyKit moved to her brother's side to better listen to the explanation Mumm-Ra was going to provide.

"… As little as only a decade ago, I would have to kill you and mummify you in order to ask the Ancient Spirits of Evil to grant immortality to your mummified corpses," the wizard explained. "But not anymore, children; now I have the knowledge and the power to grant you eternal life without resorting to such... unpleasant means."

"Is that true?" Kit asked, the eagerness promptly returning to her face.

"Yes it is," Mumm-Ra said, this time in a serious tone. "But you must know that what I am about to do could be almost as unpleasant as mummification."

Hearing this, both twins looked at each other and then at their master, and for one moment Mumm-Ra wondered if his children were going to refuse.

"It doesn't matter to me," WilyKit assured him. "I don't fear pain."

"I agree with my sister. If we're not killed or mummified, it doesn't matter how much it hurts," WilyKat added. Now that he knew he wouldn't end up as a reanimated corpse, the young wizard in training was as interested in having eternal life as his sister.

"This won't hurt you as much as other methods I could use, my children. But you will have to pay with blood and let me bound your souls to mine," the mummy explained, not hiding the malicious grin and expectant glitter in his crimson eyes. "If you agree with the terms, come closer so I can grant your wish."

Their choice already made, WilyKat and WilyKit did not hesitate and with great anticipation burning in their eyes, approached their master. When the twins were near enough, the mummy nodded them to stop as he reached in his belt for his weapon of choice, the mystic Sword of Plundarr, which he woke immediately, releasing a razor sharp energy blade that illuminated the dark sands around them.

The twins, however, didn't feel threatened by this and didn't even move when the dark wizard took a quick step back and with inhuman speed traced a horizontal line with the blade of his sword, effectively slicing the throats of both twins with that single, mightily fast move. WilyKit and WilyKat didn't react for an instant, too shocked to understand what had happened, and it was only by instinct that they both quickly brought their hands up to their bleeding throats, failing to stop the massive hemorrhage.

"Don't be afraid my children, I didn't do this to kill you," the mummy assured his terrified pupils as he put his demonic sword away. "I know you are afraid, but I had to open a path for _them_ to enter you. This was necessary, but don't worry, it will all end soon. I promise."

The wizard raised his hands and looked at the twins, their blood had pooled under them and their white clothes were now stained dark red, their bodies were trembling and their skin was paling; still, it was not until the evil mage saw the eyes of the twins started to lose the spark of life that he finally spoke with an imposing tone.

"You who dwell in the never ending darkness and thread at will amidst the flow of the sands of time… Twin Snakes of Eternity… listen to my call and come forth; I, Mumm-Ra the ever living, command you!"

When the dark mage finished his call a deafening, reptilian hiss was heard around the pyramid. Suddenly, the shadows around the wizard gathered and gained substance until they rose as two tall pillars of darkness behind the grinning Mumm-Ra, taking the shape of two black, gigantic, eyeless snakes that hissed and twisted impatiently, blowing waves of sand away, waiting for the orders of the one who had summoned them to this realm.

"Eternal ones, I present you with two who are worthy of receiving your blessing!" Mumm-Ra said to the looming shadows behind him. "Twin Snakes of Eternity grant these two children their wish! I command it!"

The shadow snakes rose higher at those words, twisting their dark, ethereal bodies until they formed the emblem Mumm-Ra wore on his chest and then they hissed with such force that they created a violent gust of wind. At first it appeared the malevolent entities would not obey the command they were given but abruptly they dove forward with incredible speed, and each snake entered one of the agonized twins through the gaping wound on their necks, filling their bodies with darkness.

The dark power of the Snakes of Eternity shook the twins' bodies like puppets as it permeated them from head to toe. The entities were changing them, turning their bodies into vessels of dark energy forever linked to the eternal shadows from beyond the flow of time; vessels which would never age or need mortal sustenance again.

Mumm-Ra watched the eyes of the twins turn blacker than the blackest night as the Snakes of Eternity granted the twins the immortality they craved, and couldn't keep from laughing in triumph. The twins' transformation was almost complete now; he could feel how they had changed, their souls and bodies tainted by the glorious power of the dark, a power which would sustain them eternally as it did him, but for the wizard, the most important thing was not the twins gaining immortality; what mattered was what he would gain from them once the transformation ended.

Mumm-Ra watched as the shadow snakes finally abandoned the bodies of his children, rising through the wounds on their necks and shooting to the sky, where they vanished. Finally the wizard's attention shifted back to his pupils; both twins were on their backs, sleeping and breathing steadily. The dark mage knelt between them and examined their necks. As he expected, the wounds had been fully healed by the power of the Snakes of Eternity; he couldn't even find a scar where he'd slit the twin's throats.

"Excellent, much better than what I expected" the undead mage congratulated himself. "Now, time to finish this and guarantee my eternal survival."

With this, the wizard placed the palms of his hands a few inches above the twins' torsos and focused; before long, a small sphere of green light came out of WilyKat's and WilyKit's chests, which the wizard greedily caught between his fingers. Wasting no time, Mumm-Ra pressed the orbs of light to his torso, and grinned as he absorbed them into his body.

The ancient mage couldn't stop his body from trembling slightly with barely contained excitement as the fragments of the twin's souls he'd just absorbed merged with his own and, once that was done, his laughter shot brashly, wildly into the desert around him. He had finally won! He had finally achieved the true eternal bond to the material plane the Ancient Spirits of Evil always denied him. Now that his soul was linked to the souls of the twins, it wouldn't matter if his body was destroyed in battle; as long as one of his children remained, his body would regenerate allowing him to return to the mortal plane, and the best part was that this was also true for the twins, if one of them or both died, as long as Mumm-Ra or the other twin was still on the land of the living, he or the other twin would also return.

With a satisfied, grin; the wizard looked at his sleeping children, the expression in both their faces was now calm and serene, which indicated their bodies had finally adjusted to the strenuous changes and massive amounts of dark energy that had been coursing through them. Still enjoying his victory, Mumm-Ra carried the twins inside the Pyramid.

Shortly after leaving the twins in their chambers, Mumm-Ra stood before of his cauldron. The Ancient Spirits of Evil were completely silent; the wizard had expected them to ask why he had summoned the Twin snakes of Eternity or his reasons for granting the twins immortality. Still, the self-imposed silence of the Spirits of Evil didn't matter at the moment. In fact, the ancient mage was much more interested in what was happening in the Capital City. As he had expected, his Demon Beasts had faced very little opposition during the attack, and had successfully destroyed the city's power plant; but the best part was that not even three Thundercats had managed to deter them. Sure, Lion-O had managed to kill a few of his creatures, but that had been expected, and Mumm-Ra could easily replace the fallen demons.

Then he saw how his Demon Beasts surrounded Lion-O and Tygra, ready to fall over them to rip them into red ribbons of torn flesh. The mummy frowned at that, he couldn't let that happen, at least not yet. Mumm-Ra still wanted to torture Lion-O further, to show him how this 'renaissance' he had expected to herald was nothing more than one of his stupid delusions of grandeur. No, the wizard wouldn't let Lion-O be physically hurt yet; he was still not emotionally broken enough yet.

And that was why Mumm-Ra waved his hand over the images in the cauldron's waters, causing the Demon Beasts surrounding Lion-O and the other Thundercat to vanish into thin air. The beasts of course, where not sent back to the underworld; the wizard simply moved the creatures to the massive arch where the portal was, which the creatures would guard until he needed them again.

Meanwhile, in the Capital City…

Lon-O, the young king of Thundera, stood motionless in front of the ruined Power Plant. The thick smoke coming out carried the unmistakable stench of burned flesh mixed with that of several toxic chemicals. Behind him he could hear the cries of the terrorized Thunderians that were just now daring to come out of their hiding places. And they all wanted one simple thing: Protection, _his_ protection.

But how could he protect them now? He didn't know how this had happened or why had Mumm-Ra launched this attack. What had been that undead bastard's intentions? Lion-O could not imagine it or understand it. All he knew was that the Capital City of his kingdom had been attacked by a horde of horrible, bloodthirsty monsters. The creatures, had not only killed as many Thunderians as they could, they had destroyed the Power Plant, leaving the city completely powerless.

"But why, what was Mumm-Ra expecting to achieve by doing this?" He asked with a voice almost broken by hopelessness, not expecting any answer to his question.

"Probably to spread fear, with no energy the city will be very vulnerable. And I am certain the appearance of those creatures terrified the people more than any army of mutants from Plundarr could have. If spreading fear was Mumm-Ra's goal I would say that he succeeded."

Lion-O turned to regard Tygra, who still stood by his side. The young king had been so focused on his own despair and thoughts that he had forgotten the architect was with him.

"And what is he expecting to gain with fear?" a furious Lion-O demanded.

"If our people are scared they won't fight back," Tygra answered in a serious tone. The tiger, however, was not facing Lion-O, but a nearby building. "We have to stop fear from spreading and I'm sure you understand that you are the only one who can give courage to our people."

The young king took in a deep breath and mussed his hair with his right hand. As if he didn't have enough on his shoulders already, now everything had grown so complicated that he was no longer sure of what to do or how to do it. The only thing which kept Lion-O from giving up all hope was his enormous sense of responsibility and his seemingly unlimited courage.

"We should begin by leading a group of volunteers to search for survivors inside the Power Plant," Tygra dutifully offered, still looking at the same building, as if waiting for something to happen.

"Is there something wrong with that building?" Lion-O asked, finally noticing where Tygra's attention seemed to be.

"I left Cheetara there and she hasn't come out… I worry her wounds are worse than I first thought."

"Then go to her," the king commanded, nodding to his friend.

"What about the search for survivors?" Tygra asked. "You might need me and…"

"I can handle it myself," Lion-O promised. "Go and help her, I don't want to risk Cheetara's wounds worsening because she didn't get help. Jaga knows we can't afford to lose any more Thundercats."

"Thank you, I'll be back as soon as I can."

"I know you will," the young monarch whispered as he saw his friend rush inside the nearby edifice. Once Tygra was inside, Lion-O turned to his right. Several Thunderians were already there, looking expectantly at him, obviously waiting for him to tell them what to do. After taking a moment to emotionally prepare for the task ahead, the lord of the Thundercats gathered a group of volunteers and made his way towards the gates of the Power Plant.

Lion-O discovered the people were very glad and eager to help and work, but only as long as he was there to guide them. This increasing dependence his people had on him troubled him greatly. What would they do if he suddenly died? In their present state, without him, every Thunderian would simply give up, allowing Mumm-Ra to rule over them again without a fight.

Somewhere else…

The wheels of a recently armored and armed truck crushed several bushes as its driver, the Thundercat known as Panthro, recklessly drove as fast as he could through the shortest route available to the Capital City: a no longer used road covered by thick vegetation.

The reason why Panthro, who had been in enough battles during his life to remain level-headed even in the direst of situations, was rushing to the Capital City was a very simple and a very powerful one: Fear. Moments ago, while working inside Cat's Lair, he had listened to a faint sound he immediately identified as an explosion, and when he looked out a window he saw the thick pillar of smoke rising from the city. That, coupled with the lack of a call for help from Lion-O, was enough to spark a flame of fear in him, a fear which threatened to become full terror as he realized Lion-O, and even worse, Cheetara could be seriously hurt.

And there was another fear, one that Panthro kept hidden in the deepest part of his mind; a fear that had been born that morning when he had heard her talking to Tygra in a way which had made his heart break with jealousy. This jealousy, however, was quickly mitigated when he heard how Tygra had put their friendship first, refusing to betray him in any way. The fear that his best friend would not resist temptation for long, however, had yet to leave Panthro's heart; and that, coupled with the agony he felt at the realization that his Cheetara was in love with his best friend, was slowly killing the proud Panther from the inside out.

Still, his troubled emotions wouldn't stop Panthro from helping his king during this emergency. He would have the time to sort the situation between himself, Cheetara and Tygra once the current emergency was dealt with.

And once Panthro arrived to the Capital and saw the damage caused to the city, he had no trouble at all pushing all his fears back, focusing only on helping as much as he could.

A few hours later…

Tygra, sitting on a bench while finishing treating the arm of a wounded Thunderian, spared a glance at the many rows of beds they had placed in the city's main warehouse, the largest building in the Capital, which had been hastily turned into a shelter not only for the wounded but also for most of the inhabitants of the city, who had preferred to gather here instead of remaining inside their houses. This was troublesome, for if the creatures attacked again, everyone here would be easy targets. He and Lion-O had tried to set up other shelters but it had been futile; every Thunderian in the city was just too terrorized to be away from the king.

And as if this was not bad enough, Lion-O had found several burned corpses inside the devastated Power Plant, but not a single survivor. The dead from the plant, along with those in the city amounted to over a hundred casualties, and even if Tygra was optimistic, at least fifty of the wounded they had on the shelter would die as well before the next two days were out. Tygra sighed sadly as he finished bandaging the wounded man's arm and, after giving him some instructions about his wound, he went to see if he was needed somewhere else.

"It seems that in the end, Mumm-Ra succeeded in spreading fear among us…" Tygra muttered, concern never leaving his face as he moved between the rows of beds, trying to see if anyone needed immediate attention.

On the other side of the warehouse, Cheetara looked up from the woman she was tending to and stared at Tygra with loving eyes; he had been the one who had carried her out of the building she fainted on and the one who had bandaged the superficial wounds she suffered while fighting the Demon Beasts. The Cheetah remembered his relieved smile when the doctors assured them that the only reason she had passed out was exhaustion. She also remembered how his smile had faded when Panthro arrived, and how Tygra had been avoiding her since then, and she him.

The current emergency, of course, provided a very convenient excuse for both of them to do just that; Panthro was outside the warehouse, working with Lion-O on devising a way to restore power to at least this building before night fell. Finishing treating the wounds of the woman, Cheetara straightened and glanced at Tygra again and pressed her hand to her chest, wondering if it was right for her to feel this way just by looking at him. The cheetah closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. This was not the time for her to feel and act like a love-struck cub; there were far more important things to do, and besides…

"Excuse me, my Lady. Could you please assist us with something?"

Cheetara snapped out of her thoughts and looked at the old nurse at her left, who was looking at her with respect-filled eyes, something which, coupled with the honorific she had used, made Cheetara feel very uncomfortable.

"Yes, of course. How can I help you?"

"We ran out of medical packs, and we can't spare anyone to go to the clinic for more," the nurse explained. "I'm sorry to bother you with this, but…"

"You're not bothering me at all," Cheetara assured. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Thank you, my Lady."

"Just one thing," the female Thundercat said. "Don't call me that, I am not better than you."

"Perhaps, but you are still a noblewoman, a member of the Thundercats and part of the King's court," the old nurse pointed out with a gentle smile, "For the young it might be easy to ignore the proper way to address a noble, but not for someone my age."

Cheetaraa decided not to challenge the older Thunderian's reasoning and simply nodded her understanding. "I'll return shortly, do you need anything else from the clinic?"

"No, just the medical packs."

Cheetara looked around for Tygra on her way out, hoping to ask him to accompany her, but he was busy now, assisting a doctor with a patient in the western corner of the warehouse. The woman sighed and decided it was for the best; after all, if it weren't for the old nurse, she would still be thinking about him, something that she could not afford to do at the moment.

Once outside she looked around to see that many volunteers were busy fortifying the area adjacent to the massive warehouse she'd just exited. She was not surprised to see that two or three engineers that she had talked to during the first stages of restoration in the city were directing the job, nor was she surprised to see that all of them reported to Lion-O from time to time. Cheetara stared at the young king with growing concern; he had not stopped working alongside the people since after the attack, and she feared he would collapse from exhaustion if he didn't rest soon. She was about to ask Lion-O to accompany her to the clinic, just to stop him from working so hard, when her mate approached her.

"Do the doctors need anything?" Panthro asked, reaching for Cheetara's hand as he did so.

"They need more medical packs," she answered, retrieving her hand from his faster than she knew she should have. "I have to go and get some more from the clinic and…"

"Say no more, I'll take you there in the Thunder-Truck," Panthro offered, failing to hide a tone of sadness in his voice. Normally, he would have tried to hold her hand again, but Cheetara's reaction had convinced him not to make the attempt.

"Thank you."

A few minutes later, a silent Cheetara, sat on the front passenger seat of her mate's new favorite toy. She had tried to get Lion-O to join them, but he had politely refused, stating that he had much to do before night fell. Lion-O's refusal, however, had left her in a very uncomfortable situation; she didn't know what to do or say, now that she was alone with Panthro.

"I'm glad that you didn't get seriously injured," Panthro said when he couldn't stand the silence anymore. "I know I said that before, but…"

"It's okay, I'm glad you worry about me," she said with a whisper. "I was lucky that Tygra showed up when he did."

"Yes… Tygra," Panthro answered, his voice turning into a sad murmur. "About him…"

"You've given the truck a name," Cheetara interrupted; she had noticed Panthro's distress and hoped a change of topic would help him forget whatever it was that made him sad, even though she was quite aware that she was the cause. "I didn't think you would."

"Yeah, well it deserves it… I know she's still not as good as my previous baby was, but I'm sure I will eventually make this Thunder-Truck as great as the Thunder-Tank used to be."

"Good for you," Cheetara answered. She tried to think of something else to say to him, but she couldn't come up with anything to carry on the conversation and ended up sitting in silence staring at the almost empty streets.

Panthro, on his part, couldn't find a way to ask Cheetara about the conversation she had with Tygra that morning. As a result of this, they didn't speak to each other again until they delivered the medical packs back to the warehouse.

"Cheetara…" Panthro called after handing the last medical pack to a very thankful doctor.

"Yes?"

The panther took in a deep breath, "Can we talk later, perhaps tonight? There is something important I want to talk to you about."

"If nothing else happens and I'm not busy helping treat the wounded, we will talk," she promised him. "Now I have to go back to see if they need me."

Several hours later…

Lion-O, exhausted but still willing to continue working along his people, had finally yielded to Cheetara's constant requests and had agreed to rest; and for that purpose, he had decided to pass by the medical area and visit the wounded on his way to the temporary chambers Tygra had prepared for him on the back of the Warehouse.

It was there that he saw her, talking to one of the doctors. He then remembered what he had promised her. Not one to break his promises, Lion-O walked slowly to the young woman sitting in a bed located close to a window.

"I am pleased see you are better," the king said.

Aliona looked up and offered the king a smile. "The wound wasn't as deep as the doctors expected," she explained as she pointed to her bandaged left shoulder. "They said I should be fully healed in two or three weeks, maybe less."

"The fact that she's young helps," the doctor added. "And luckily for her, she only got a rather scandalous wound instead of a dangerous one." Stating this, the doctor bowed slightly to the king and made his way to help another Thunderian in a nearby bed.

"Well, that is good news," the king said and smiled back at the young woman. He was about to excuse himself when he noticed the boomerang Aliona always carried; the weapon was partially hidden under the bed and he remembered then he had wanted to ask her about it. "Aliona, about that weapon you use, might I ask where you got it?"

The young woman looked at the king with doubtful eyes. She seemed to be considering what to say; finally, she spoke, "My grandfather gave it to me, I already told that to the other Thundercats, but there is more to my weapon than that."

Lion-O sat on the other end of her bed, "I would like to hear about it, if you want to tell me."

"My grandfather told me to never refuse a request from the king," the auburn haired female said in a very serious tone. "And, well… you do have the right to know."

"I'm listening."

"That is the Thunderang," Aliona said, pointing at her weapon. "King Claudis gave it to my grandfather a long time ago."

"Thunderang? Sounds like the name a Thundercat weapon would have."

"It _is_ a Thundercat weapon, my lord. It ended up in my Family's possession only by chance."

"Can you tell me how?"

The young woman nodded. "My grandfather often told me the story when I was a little cub. According to him, he got the Thunderang after saving King Claudis. I can tell you that the previous king, your father, was a teenager when that happened."

The mention of his father immediately caught Lion-O's attention. He leaned forward and motioned her to continue.

"A group of mutants ambushed young King Claudis during one of his travels through the mountains. My grandfather was a part of his escort and he fought against the mutants to help protect your Father, my lord."

"I see. So I guess the other soldiers got different Thundercat weapons as a reward as well?"

Aliona looked down and shook her head.

"No… my grandfather was the only soldier left after the attack. He somehow was able to assist King Claudis hold the Mutants back until Jaga and his Thundercats arrived. After that, my grandfather was promoted to the royal guard on the palace and Prince Claudis gave him the Thunderang as a reward for his courage. That's all there is to tell; I'm sorry if I'm not very good at telling a story, but I wasn't born when it happened, so…"

"Don't apologize, it truly is interesting," Lion-O assured her. "I like to hear about my father."

Aliona smiled at the compliment and looked at Lion-O again, she found out it had been easier for her to talk to him this time, and she wondered if the fact that the king looked less regal, with his dirty hands and his sweat-stained shirt, had something to do with it.

"Who taught you how to throw it?" Lion-O asked, feeling that some small talk before going for his nap wouldn't hurt; he wasn't sleepy anyway.

"My grandfather did," Aliona answered. "He spent most of our time in Green-Door teaching me how to hunt and telling me about his days on the military."

"Green-Door?"

"It's a forest planet five sectors away from here," she explained. "That's where we took refuge after Thundera exploded."

"I've never heard of it. Care to tell me about it?"

"It would be my pleasure."

For the next few minutes, Lion-O listened as Aliona described a green planet full of life, which while not technologically advanced, was a peaceful and beautiful place to live. He listened as she described how it was there her father decided to become a farmer and how he had helped develop better crops to help the people of Green-Door. Finally, she finished her tale mentioning the message asking all survivor Thunderians to return to the newly reformed Thundera.

"You didn't mention your sister in your tale."

"She was born here seven years ago," Aliona said.

Lion-O lowered his eyes as he realized that his friend's younger sister had only known slavery and misery during her short life. The king could not help but feel a stab of guilt in his heart. Because he had entered the Book of Omens, the few hundreds of children born during Mumm-Ra's reign didn't get the chance to experience a bright childhood.

"I'm sorry, it's my fault your sister spent her childhood as a slave," he muttered.

Before realizing what she was doing, the young puma reached for the king's arm and placed a reassuring hand over it.

"Don't be, because we're farmers we weren't abused as much as the construction workers or those unlucky enough to be sent to the mines."

Lion-O looked at her hand and she quickly removed it as she whispered an apology. The lord of the Thundercats was, in truth, not angry or upset, but rather pleasantly surprised in the way her touch had felt: Warm and alive. It was something he didn't feel often, since not many Thunderians dared to actually physically touch him. Lion-O was about to assure her everything was alright when he noticed Aliona was looking at someone behind him.

"Greetings, my lord, to what do we owe the honor of your visit?"

Lion-O turned and saw Cougara, Aliona's mother, standing by the bed. The older woman carried a bag in one hand, while she held a little girl firmly with the other.

"I promised I would visit her after the attack was over," the king said as he stood up to make way for Aliona's mother, "I was actually about to leave, so…"

"We understand, my lord and… thank you for talking with me," Aliona said.

"It was nothing. I'll see you again soon. Take care."

Saying no more, the young king walked away from the three females, but he couldn't help listening to some of their conversation…

"What took you so long?" Aliona asked her mother. "You said you were only going for clean clothes to the farm!"

"Since we still have a working power generator, I called other farmers that we know to warn them about those creatures and to tell them about the attack. I told them all to be prepared to fight, too," Cougara explained. "I also had to bring some extra clothes for your sister."

"You spoil Angora too much."

"I'm not spoiled!" The little girl complained at her older sister's comment.

Lion-O stopped listening then; an idea was forming in his mind and not wanting to waste time putting it into practice, the young man rushed out of the warehouse to talk to Panthro.

"Panthro… Cat's Lair!" The young king called as he rushed towards the Thundercat mechanic.

"Didn't Cheetara send you to rest?" the panther asked once the Thundercat Lord was in front of him. "I'm sure what you want to say is important, but I am also sure it can wait until you rest."

"No, it can't wait!" Lion-O insisted. "Tell me Pantro, does the Lair still have an operational Power Generator, yes or no?"

"It was still working when I came here, but it's not strong enough to replace the generator we had on the city, if that's what you're thinking."

"No, all I need is enough power for the radio to work well," the young lord clarified. "So we can send warnings about this to the farms and the towns."

Panthro nodded, it was actually a very good idea, and he was angry at himself for not thinking about it sooner. "We will do that. I'll call O-Celot, he remained at the lair and he should be able to send those messages."

Lion-O looked at the Thunder-Truck, "You mean the truck has a radio? I never noticed."

"I installed it yesterday. It's only short range, though." Panthro explained, "But it can reach the Lair just fine."

"Good, tell O-Celot to send those messages, Panthro," Lion-O said, struggling to keep a yawn at bay and failing.

"Sure, I'll do it, as long as you promise to sleep for an hour or two."

The young king nodded." I'll try."

Meanwhile, in Cat's Lair…

O-celot was soundly asleep in a chair next to Pummyra's bed; he'd been watching her for over eighteen hours, waiting by her side and hoping for her to awake but sleep finally overcame him shortly after Panthro left for the city to investigate something which had happened there. His sleep was so deep that he almost fell of the chair when the loud beeping of his communicator startled him awake.

"What the…?" The forge-master shook his head as he answered the call. "O-Celot here, who is it?"

"_It was about time you answered. I've been calling to the Lair for almost ten minutes now!"_

"Panthro?" O-Celot said, surprise filling him as he noticed the upset tone in the Thunercat's voice. "I'm sorry, I'm still in Pummyra's room; I didn't want to leave her alone and…"

"_I understand that. But the situation here in the city is quite critical and we can't leave. Listen, we need your help, Lion-O asked me to tell you what he wants you to do."_

"I have orders from the king?" O-Celot stared out of the window, finally noticing the sun had almost set and he could not see the city lights on the distance. "What happened over there?"

O-Celot heard the Thundercat sigh and for a moment thought he would not explain the situation, but Panthro did. By the time Panthro finished telling him about the Demon Beasts that attacked the city, O-Celot's forehead was covered with sweat and he could feel a hint of fear in his chest.

"…_And that's what happened. Listen, O-Celot, Lion-O needs your help. You are to contact all the towns and farms in our database. Tell the farmers to hide and the town leaders to take their people to shelters. Can you do that?"_

"Of course, I'll get to it right away," O-Celot promised. "Do you need me on the city?"

"_Probably not for tonight, but you'll have to be here tomorrow. Don't worry, we'll send someone to watch over Pummyra for you."_

"I'd appreciate that." the tall Thunderian confessed. "I'll go send the messages now, O-Celot out."

After that, O-Celot walked to Pummyra's side and gently caressed her hand.

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon."

Saying no more, the forge-master left the medical room but, had he stayed for a second longer, he would have seen a small hint of movement from Pummyra's left hand…

The first thing she felt was a soft, warm touch on her hand. It was nice, because it told her that she wasn't alone. She still wasn't awake enough to open her eyes, but the touch had felt good, and she did want to see who was by her side. Willing her eyes to open, she struggled to adjust her vision until she saw she was in a dimly lit room.

The young woman realized she was resting on a soft bed, and that her right arm was expertly encased in what she recognized as an expensive cast made of sanare-fiber. Pummyra gasped as she remembered why her arm was broken, her mind filling with images of Mumm-Ra laughing at her while he snapped her arm with horrible ease.

Forcing herself to a sitting position, Pummyra ran her left hand over her face, trying to banish the painful memories of her defeat. All this managed to do was to remind her how Mumm-Ra had trapped her inside a magical sphere and sent her to sleep forever in the deeps of an ice cave.

"Someone rescued me…" she whispered, feeling strange at hearing the sound of her own voice. "But after how long? How many years did I spend in that cave?"

Pummyra got up on shaky legs and walked slowly towards the door. She almost fell after three steps, but by the time she reached the door she felt confident enough to walk without falling… as long as she kept her good hand against the wall.

"This place looks familiar, but it also seems to be deserted…" she mused to herself as she reached a set of steps that went up. "I might as well try to go up, maybe I'll find someone there."

It took her several minutes to reach the top of the stairs, which annoyed her greatly; had she been healthy, she could have done this in a few seconds. Breathing deeply to calm herself, Pummyra looked around and found that she had come to a well illuminated, if short, corridor that led to a closed steel door.

"It seems there's somebody there," she muttered, glad that she was not alone. She also felt pretty positive that she was amongst friends, since they had cared enough to treat her broken arm.

"Hello? Can you hear me? I already woke up!" she called as loudly as she could while she walked towards the door but she received no answer. Intrigued, Pummyra reached out and pressed the button she expected would open the door. Luckily for the Thunderian female, the door did open for her.

And then she saw him there. Sitting in front of a control panel, apparently recording some sort of message which, given the portion of it she heard, was not good news at all. The content of the message was of no importance to her for the moment; all that really mattered to her was the man recording it.

"O-Celot…" she said softly once he'd finished sending the recorded message.

The Thunderian in question froze when she heard that voice. A voice he'd longed to hear again for years. Slowly, as if fearing he was imagining it all, he turned to look behind him.

"…Pummyra," he whispered, "Pummyra, you are awake!"

The young female smiled for her friend and was not surprised when he rose to meet her; she was not surprised by the overjoyed expression in his face either. She was surprised, though, by him placing both of his hands on her shoulders and the way his eyes bored into her own.

"I'd given up hope…" he admitted. "I thought I would never see you or hear your voice again. Thank Claudis for Lion-O's return!"

"Lion-O's back?" Pummyra asked immediately upon hearing the name of the king. Placing her good hand on O-Celot's chest so he would release her, she asked, "How long has it been since he returned? Tell me everything that has happened!"

O-Celot, realizing by the way she pressed her hand on his chest that he was probably making Pummyra uncomfortable, dropped his hands and considered her request. He doubted she was still in a good enough condition to deal with the recent events, but she was a Thundercat and she was also the strongest woman he knew.

"Fine, I will tell you all I know. But I think it would be best if you took a seat first."

O-Celot waited until Pummyra sat in a stool and then the tall Thunderian told her everything he knew. He told her about his search for her, how he had heard of Lion-O's return, his travel to the capital city and WilyKit's killing spree, how he and Tygra had found her and finally, about the monsters which had attacked the capital that same day.

"I'm not surprised about WilyKit. After so many years under Mumm-Ra's influence something like that was bound to happen," Pummyra said in a low voice not free from regret and sadness. After a moment of silence, the woman looked at his companion again and by the expression on her face, she seemed to have remembered something important.

"O-Celot, please tell me more about the attack… you mentioned some monsters, didn't you?"

"I haven't seen the things, but from what I heard they're large, red horned beasts with tentacles for hands, and they vanished after destroying the city's power generator," O-Celot explained. "That's all Panthro told me."

"Large, red horned creatures… with tentacles for hands…" Pummyra repeated, her face paling slightly as memories of said monsters filled her mind.

"Great Jaga! O-Celot, I know what those things are and how they got here. I have to tell Lion-O, please take me to him!"

"You're in no condition to leave the lair," the large Thunderian argued. "If you want to tell him I can call him from here. There's no need to exert yourself when…"

"I have to see him in person!" Pummyra interrupted. "And if you don't want to take me to the city, then I'll go by myself!"

"You were barely able to stand only a couple of minutes ago and now you want to walk to the capital?" O-Celot challenged. "I understand you have your duty as a Thundercat, but you can't go! What good will you do the king if you worsen your condition?"

Pummyra stared silently at her friend for a long moment, taking in the concern in his voice and the worried look in his eyes. It was then that she understood how devoted he was to her and for a moment she almost agreed to stay in the Lair. But just as he had said, she had a duty as a Thundercat, and she had to fulfill it.

"There's more to this than what you think, O-Celot. There's too much to explain for me to just say it on the radio," she said. "Please? I promise I will rest once that's done, I will even let you carry me back here if that's what you want, but right now I have to go and talk to Lion-O."

"Alright, I'll take you there." O-Celot agreed, finally realizing he wouldn't convince her to stay.

Moving swiftly and before she could protest, O-Celot picked Pummyra up, taking special care not to hurt her broken arm as he carried her to the Lair's hangar.

"Wha-what are you doing?" she protested weakly.

"Carry you to my Skycutter," O-Celot explained. "If you really want to talk to the king, you should save your strength. We don't want you to faint in front of him, do we?"

"No, I guess we don't," she admitted, finding that she didn't mind being carried like this, at least not by him.

Some time later…

Tygra was sitting at the steps of the warehouse. The large building had been fortified in record time, and it was now as defensible as possible. Unfortunately, given the current circumstances, that wasn't saying much. He was aware that the people did feel safer with Lion-O around, but he was also aware of the heavy cloud of uncertainty and fear which seemed to hang over every single Thunderian the tiger had come across. And that fear had only increased as night came closer.

"Darkness will come soon." Tygra muttered as he watched the sun setting in the horizon, slowly taking with it the light and allowing the shadows to fill the now almost deserted streets of the city.

It was then that the tiger heard the sound of an engine approaching. He looked up and saw the lights of a flying vehicle coming closer. The tiger strained his eyes and was able to make out the form of a Skycutter. He couldn't see who was piloting it, though.

"You think it's one of our own?" a voice asked from behind him.

"I don't know. It's still too far away to tell," Tygra answered, not turning to face Panthro, who had just asked the question. After the events with Cheetara that morning, the tiger had avoided his friend as much as possible, and he hoped Panthro wouldn't notice the nervousness in his voice.

"It might be a mutant spy," the panther warned.

The two Thundercats stood very still, watching carefully as the Skycutter came closer. Behind them, the lights of candles shone through the cracks of the now boarded windows, and both Tygra and Panthro knew many Thunderians were peering from said cracks between the boards, but were too frightened to leave the safety of the warehouse.

"Our people are afraid," Panthro said frowning, his eyes never leaving the approaching flying vehicle. "We didn't need this right now."

A couple of minutes passed by and, unexpectedly for the two Thundercats, the Skycutter landed. That, however, didn't surprise them as much as the Thunderian piloting it and his passenger.

"Careful now," O-Celot warned as he helped Pummyra stand on her feet. The woman had firmly stated that he was not to carry her in front of the Thundercat nobles, but she had agreed to him helping her stand.

"I'm fine, just a little tired, that's all." she answered.

"Pummyra?" Both Panthro and Tygra called as they rushed to the Skycutter. "Why are you here? You should be resting!"

"I wake up after years trapped in a magic-induced coma… and you two want me to go and rest?" The puma asked once the other Thundercatas were in front of her. "Heh…I guess it's nice to see you too."

"We are glad you're awake," Tygra said quickly. "But we also worry for your condition."

"I know," Pummyra answered and managed a smile. "But I heard about what happened here… and I think I have… important information that Lion-O must hear."

"If that's the case," Panthro said. "We'll take you to him; he should be awake by now."

"But after that, you'll rest," Tygra stated rather than asked.

"Yes, I promise…" The puma replied and, leaning on O-Celot for support, she followed the two Thundercats into the warehouse.

A few minutes later, Pummyra sat in the bed of Lion-O's private chambers. Standing around her were the young King, Tygra, Panthro and Cheetara and behind them was O-Celot, who didn't wish to interrupt the nobles while they discussed the matters at hand.

"What is so important that you had to come to tell us in person?" Cheetara asked. "You realize this can't be good for your recovery."

"I'm here because I know what attacked this city," the puma claimed, not failing to notice Cheetara's bandaged arm and the bruise marks on the back of her neck and shoulders. "I know where the Demon Beasts came from and who… called them."

"We know Mumm-Ra called them," Panthro, who was standing behind Lion-O, offered. "The mutant who led them here told us that already."

"But I know how he did it and from where," Pummyra replied. "I learned about those monsters many years ago."

"Can you tell us?" Lion-O asked.

"It happened a few months before I was…" the puma paused and took in a deep breath to steel herself. "…Defeated and captured by Mumm-Ra. There was a rumor back then… about Mumm-Ra building something in the desert. I had to find out what it was…

"it was a dangerous mission, so I decided to go with only two members of my rebel group as backup… we found what Mumm-Ra was doing, he was… supervising the construction of this huge thing… it was only half completed but it was easy to see it would be a massive arch once it was finished; hundreds of Thunderians were being forced to work there, on the main construction or paving the area around it with slates of black stone.

"Slithe and Vultureman were there, along with many mutants who whipped our Thunderian brothers even if there was no reason to…" Pummyra said with a low growl, despite her weakened state, remembering how her race had been mistreated for years did not make her happy.

"What does that have to do with the Demon Beasts that attacked the city?" Panthro asked, even as an idea was already forming in his mind.

"I didn't know until Mumm-Ra did something after Slithe apparently angered him," the puma said. "Mumm-Ra shot two blasts of white light at the sand and something happened; it is difficult to explain what… all I know is that some type of… hole? Something like that opened in the air just above where Mumm-Ra's magic hit the sand, and two horrible creatures crawled out of it.

"However, the portal Mumm-Ra opened closed almost instantly, and the two creatures vanished with it. After that, the damned mummy pointed at the incomplete arch and started to laugh, but then he looked in our direction and we were forced to flee the area. Still, I was sure then that the structure would allow Mumm-Ra call an army of those beasts for longer periods of time," Pummyra finished explaining. "And after listening to what happened here, and since the beasts I saw years ago match the description of the monsters that attacked the city, I believe my theory is correct."

For long minutes no Thundercat could speak, each considering the implications of this new information they had just received. In the end, it was Lion-O who spoke first, only one question in his mind begging to be answered.

"Where is this arch you mentioned?"

"To the east of Mumm-Ra's pyramid, it's not easy to spot unless you know what you're looking for, since there's large rocks nearby which hide the structure," Pummyra explained.

"I think I could find the place quickly," Panthro announced.

"If Mumm-Ra is indeed using that arch to summon those things, we will have to destroy it as soon as possible," Lion-O said.

"In that case…" Panthro started. "I'll go take care of it at once."

"It's not wise to do so at night," Tygra argued. "We should wait at least until sunrise to enter the desert."

"He's right, Panthro," Cheetara said. "Splitting our forces now would only leave the city vulnerable in case of an attack, and we are already very vulnerable as it is."

"And waiting until tomorrow gives me time to prepare a suitable explosive to demolish that thing," Tygra added.

"What do you think, Lion-O?" The panther asked, he already knew the young King would agree with the other Thundercats, but Panthro preferred Lion-O to have the final word, if only to agree with him and hide the pang of jealousy he had felt when Cheetara supported Tygra instead of him.

"I say we wait. We can't afford to leave the city half protected right now," the king announced. "Besides, if there's the need to create an explosive, I would rather you and Tygra work on it, Panthro. I'm sure the two of you together can make something faster."

"And about that matter…" Cheetara said, eyeing the injured puma. "I think it's time for us to let her rest."

"Indeed," Said Lion-O. "You can sleep here tonight, Pummyra. We'll send a doctor to look at your arm in a while."

"But this is your room…" Pummyra started. "I couldn't possibly…"

"I want you to stay here," the king assured. "It's the least we can do to thank your for the information you gave us; thanks to you we might be able to prevent more attacks on the city, I am truly in your debt."

After such praise from the king, Pummyra couldn't find it in her to refuse his offer and simply nodded at him. A few minutes later, the other Thundercats excused themselves and followed Lion-O out of the bedroom, leaving her only in the company of O-Celot, who had insisted in staying with her in case she needed help moving. A doctor came in shortly afterward, and other than exhaustion and her broken arm, he didn't find anything wrong with Pummyra, which relieved her and her large friend (though he did not show it) to no end.

"O-Celot, I…" Pummyra began once the two of them were alone. "Want to thank you for bringing me here, it means a lot to me."

"It was nothing," he replied. "But I would feel better if you did as you promised the nobles and rested. You might not want to admit it, general, but you do need rest."

"I'm not a general anymore; the rebels no longer exist…" Pummyra said as she yawned and laid her head on Lion-O's pillow, finding it to be very comfortable; it didn't take long after that for the exhausted woman to fall into a deep sleep.

O-Celot waited for almost two hours before he felt confident enough to walk to Pummyra's side. The tall man stood there, looking at her with a soft expression on his eyes. Slowly and very carefully, to avoid waking her up or disturb her sleep, he reached for her face and caressed it with the back of his palm, gently sliding it from her temple to the base of her neck.

"The rebels may be gone and you might not be a general anymore, Pummyra… but my loyalty is yours until the day I die," O-Celot swore as he retrieved his hand. He had not being able to get this brave woman out of his mind ever since he saw her enter the control room a few hours earlier. He hadn't realized just how much he had truly missed her until he heard her speak again, and now that she was back, he couldn't stop the overwhelming desire to protect her from harm. And protect her he would.

Glancing one last time at the woman who filled his thoughts, the tall Thunderian made his way out of the room. The forge master had decided to protect this woman he cared for more than anything else in this world, and in order to do that properly, he would have to do some other things first.

A few minutes later…

Lion-O sat alone in the stairs at the entrance of the warehouse, he held the Sword of Omens loosely in his hand, and stared at it with doubtful eyes. The young king wondered for the first time if any other bearer of the sword before him had had to endure a trial as difficult as the one he'd been forced to endure by Mumm-Ra's madness, and if they had, he wondered how they felt about it; did they feel as small, regretful and lost as he did?

"No, they probably didn't!" He muttered, angrily stabbing his sword in the soft dirt. This outburst didn't last, though; ashamed at his sudden burst of anger, the young king sheathed the Sword of Omens back inside the ClawShield and took in a deep breath; these feelings of rage would not help him or his people and he could not allow himself to feel them. As useful as they had been in battle, they would just hinder him out of it. The anger, however, did not go away completely, and that frustrated him a great deal.

Pushing down his frustration, Lion-O stood up and immediately looked behind him. There was someone there, and he hadn't been focused enough to notice him before due to his poor emotional state. The person Lion-O saw standing in the door of the warehouse a few steps away was O-Celot. The forge master stood very still, and seemed quite uncomfortable at being discovered.

"Do you need something, is Pummyra alright?" Lion-O asked.

"Pummyra is fine, she still sleeps," the forge master answered. "But I do need to leave."

"Leave? And where are you going?"

"I have to go to Cat's Lair, to get my armor and tools," O-Celot explained. "I won't be of much help here without them."

"Yes, I guess you're right," Lion-O agreed. "Besides, if it still works, someone should turn on the energy shield Panthro installed, just to be on the safe side."

"I'll take care of it," the forge master promised as he started walking towards his Skycutter.

"O-Celot…" Lion-O called. "I didn't thank you for sending those messages before."

"You didn't need to."

"I do. Thank you, it was of great help for us."

"You're welcome, my lord," O-Celot said stopping to look at the eyes of the lord of the Thundercats. He didn't like what he saw, Lion-O's eyes where lightless and full of anger. The older man had seen eyes like those before in members of Pummyra's rebellion. Thunderians with similar eyes always made mistakes in battle, and rarely came out alive from encounters with Mutant patrols. He knew it from personal experience.

"I thought you were leaving?" Lion-O asked when he noticed O-Celot was not moving from where he stood.

"I will, in a minute," the tall thunderian answered. "I was just thinking about the reason I have to come back; after all, it would be too easy for me to just go and hide until this is over."

"I didn't think you were the type of man who would be afraid," Lion-O said as he frowned at O-Celot's comment, he already considered the forge master a reliable ally and hadn't expected him to have any doubts during this crisis.

"I'm not ashamed to admit my fears," the forge master said. "What I meant was that there is a very important reason for me to help you all… and that reason is sleeping inside the warehouse."

"I assume you speak of Pummyra?"

The tall thunderian smiled and nodded. "Before you came back, my goal of finding her was the only thing which kept me going and even before, during Mumm-Ra's rule, it was her who helped me find a purpose again."

"If you didn't have a purpose, then why did you join her rebellion?"

"Because I wanted revenge on the miserable wizard who ruined my life," O-Celot said, his voice suddenly going low and very serious. "I was full of anger and all I wanted was to release it, and being a part of the rebellion gave me the chance to do just that. Back then… I didn't care about anything else but lashing out at those mutant bastards… I believed that dying in battle would be the best way to end my life, and I tried to die. I truly did. But then…"

O-Celot stopped and looked at the young king standing by his side. The tall thunderian nodded, pleased, when he noticed how interested Lion-O seemed to be in his words.

"…I got hurt during a mission. We had planned to stop the Mutants from getting their hands on a very powerful weapon, but our plan went wrong… it was my first assignment and all I could think about was how many mutants I would get to kill. I was so angry… I didn't follow orders and I attacked before we were supposed to.

"As you can imagine all I managed to do was to get hurt badly. I got lucky though, Bengali was able to take me back to base. It is a miracle that I survived, especially with a wound like this," the tall Thunderian said as he pulled down the neck of his gray robe and showed the king an ugly scar in the middle of his chest. "Pummyra treated my wounds and helped my body to heal… but she did more than just healing my body. She talked to me, she listened to what I had to say and helped me let go of my rage. She helped me understand that fighting was not just about releasing my rage… she helped me understand fighting was meaningless unless you fought to protect what was important to you."

"And what was so important to you back then?" Lion-O asked.

"Pummyra. I decided to fight for her years ago, to protect her and help her see her dream of a world free of Mumm-Ra a reality. That desire has not changed; it has grown so much that I would die a hundred times before letting someone hurt her," O-Celot said with a voice full of confidence; this stated, the forge master looked again at the young king and was happy to see the anger no longer in his eyes. "Well, my lord, now you know my reason to fight; how about you, do you know what you want to protect?"

"Yes… I know what I want to protect." Lion-O answered after a moment of hesitation. "Yes, I am sure of what it is I want to protect."

"That's good, then, I'll go to the Lair now. I'll be back as soon as possible. Thank you for listening to my ramblings, my king. I appreciate it." O-Celot said and finally made his way to his Skycutter.

Lion-O sat again, eyes closed, once he was alone; his mind was deep in thought as he searched for his true reason to fight. He hadn't wanted to admit it in front of O-Celot, but the truth was he didn't really know why he was fighting anymore. It had been so easy before. Back in Third Earth, he fought for the Code of Thundera and to help the inhabitants of the planet when they were in danger. But here, in New Thundera… what was he really fighting for? Keeping his people safe was his obligation and leading the Thundercats was also his responsibility, and while he welcomed both and was willing to accomplish them to the best of his abilities, he really couldn't honestly say those were his real motives to fight.

"Snarf, why did you have to die?" He muttered then. "With you here, I'm sure I could find what it is I really want to protect…"

Lion-O's eyes snapped open then. By remembering Snarf, he also remembered the oath he had made by his tomb. He had sworn to make Snarf's dreams and hopes a reality. And Snarf had hoped for a world where people could live in peace. The young king stood and took a deep breath. He'd found it. The one thing he would die to protect. The future Snarf had dreamed of, the future he also dreamed of.

"And I will make sure it comes to pass." Lion-O swore with a smile, all the anger and frustration in his heart vanishing as he finally realized what it was he wanted to protect, what his mission in life truly was. "I will never stop fighting to protect the future we both hoped for, my friend. I swear it."

To be continued…

Notes: As usual, extra thanks to Adam for beta reading this chapter.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Thundercats and all related character don't belong to me.

Note: This story takes place in an Alternate Universe set immediately after the end of 'The Return' miniseries published by Wildstorm comics.

Embracing dark desires.

By

Dr Facer

Chapter 10

WilyKit woke up to the sweet smell of acorn oil and, as she shifted her weight, she realized she was lying on a comfortable bed, covered by what she imagined was a soft silk blanket. This surprised her a little; the last thing she remembered was the blade of Mumm-Ra's sword slitting her and her brother's throats open so the black entities her master had summoned could enter them. She remembered the overwhelming pleasure she had felt as the energy of the Snakes of Eternity coursed through her, how it filled her with a power so great that every molecule of her body had vibrated in bliss as she received it. She also remembered how she had fainted as her pleasure had peaked.

Which made her wonder why she was on a bed; cautiously, the young woman opened her eyes to find herself nude and in her own chambers, illuminated dimly by a pair of candles in two of the corners. Something caught her eye then, a hint of movement on her left. Turning in that direction, Kit found three pretty Thunderian maidens not older than herself standing in the shadows.

"Good awakening, Lady WilyKit," one of the girls said, stepping into the light as she spoke in a monotone, emotionless tone. "We are glad you recovered so quickly."

"Good awakening," the other two girls said, also walking into the light.

"Flesh Puppets..." WilyKit murmured once she got a good look at the three maidens. They were incredibly pale, their eyes were glassy and devoid of emotion and, of course, they all were bandaged in a way similar to that of Mumm-Ra in his undead form. She raised an eyebrow as she pondered the reason why her master had considered it necessary to raise three sacrificed girls back from the dead, as she thought he had deemed these kinds of servants unnecessary. Not that she really had anything to complain about; flesh puppets were mere toys Mumm-Ra had devised a few years ago and they had no soul or memories of the life they had before dying. They would also not rot, were completely loyal and obedient and were very efficient with menial work. Their only downfall was their longevity, since it depended entirely upon the strength of the reanimation spell and they could literally drop dead once it ran out, needing to be reanimated again if their services were required.

"We bathed you and your brother under orders from the Master," one of the maidens said, gaining Kit's attention as she did so. "We also laid you to rest and recover. We hope you approve of the acorn oil we used to anoint your perfect skin, milady; our Lord said you would enjoy its scent."

Kit smiled. "I do enjoy it; Mumm-Ra knows me well."

"We also prepared new clothes for you to wear," the first maiden said, picking up some clothes from a stool and offering them to her lady. "We hope they are to your liking."

WilyKit evaluated the clothes, which were pretty much identical to what she had been wearing before she woke up, except they were bright red instead of white. "They're fine, I do like the color," she admitted as she reached for the attire. "Now tell me, what happened to my brother?"

"Lord WilyKat awoke hours ago and met with Master Mumm-Ra in the Cauldron Room, he has remained there ever since," the second maiden informed her.

WilyKit listened to this as she dressed, and showed no regard for the Flesh Puppets until she finished adjusting her golden greaves and vambraces. Then she glanced at the mirror and found that other than the lack of the scar she had expected to see on her throat, she didn't look any different from the day before, even if she was supposed to be immortal now; whatever the cause for the lack of change, she didn't truly care. All she cared about was seeing her twin. "Did my brother visit before going to see Lord Mumm-Ra?"

"Of course he did, milady," the third maiden said. "He told us to take good care of you. Do you wish for us to call him?"

"No, don't," Kit ordered as she admired her blood red clothes, feeling happy Mumm-Ra didn't give her a cape this time. "I'll go find him."

"As you wish, milady; we shall wait for you here, then," the maidens answered in unison.

WilyKit ignored the Flesh Puppets and swiftly left the room, her mind focused only on seeing her brother and finding out if they really had become immortal.

It didn't take WilyKit long to reach her destination, and she smiled fondly at the sight of her twin standing in front of the cauldron, dressed elegantly in white clothes and a cloak of the same color; she observed that other than lacking a scar on his throat, he didn't seem different either. WilyKat, however, seemed oblivious to his sister's arrival, since his eyes did not stray away from the bubbling waters of the cauldron.

"Hello, sister. I was expecting you," WilyKat greeted and so startled his sister, who was convinced he hadn't noticed her arrival.

"I was told you would be here, Kat. How come you woke up before I did?" Kit asked, masking her surprise with the question that had been in her mind since she had awoken.

"My body is far more attuned to magic than yours, Kit. I was able to assimilate the change faster," WilyKat explained, not lifting his eyes from the Cauldron. "Still, the fact you're on your feet today is very impressive. According to my research it takes any normal person who receives the gift of the Snakes of Eternity at least a day to simply move a hand! That you can be here standing next to me is proof of how powerful you are."

Kit smiled at the praise and walked to the other side of the Cauldron, stopping when she was at her brother's side. "What are you looking at?"

"The Thundercats' pathetic efforts to stop what we started; Panthro and Tygra are apparently trying to destroy the arch and close the portal we opened," Kat informed. "Take a look."

WilyKit did as she was told and gazed into the waters, seeing there Panthro's Thunder Truck as it cruised through the desert, not too far from where the massive stone arch was.

"We must tell the master!" WilyKit said. "We can't let them destroy the…"

"Lord Mumm-Ra already knows about this," Kat interrupted. "He ordered the Demon Beasts to hide and ambush those Thundercats once they were close to the arch."

"The Demon Beasts are mindless creatures; they might kill Tygra and Panthro, but they won't stop them from destroying the arch," Kit grumbled as she crossed her arms. "Why don't you do something?"

"Because the arch was built only to weaken reality in that spot; now that it has served its purpose, we can open a gate to the underworld whenever we need," Kat explained. "There is something that concerns me far more."

"And what would that be?" Kit asked.

"Look at this and you will understand," Kat invited, moving his hand over the waters, showing his sister an image of the Capital City. "Look at those disgusting slaves… they should be scared! They shouldn't even dare to leave their houses in fear of the Master's wrath! But look! Even if last night they were shaking in fear, today they're already planning to start rebuilding the power plant! They don't fear lord Mumm-Ra anymore, sister, and that is something we can't allow!"

WilyKit frowned at the image of the Thunderians working together, cleaning the ruins of the power plant or carrying supplies to the shelter where the wounded were being treated. Her brow knit even further as she noticed Lion-O was the one directing the crew carrying the food.

"It's his fault; his presence here is keeping those inferior slaves from realizing what their place is!"

WilyKat nodded his agreement. "I know. It is because of him our slaves are not as afraid as they should."

"We need to do something about it, then," Kit answered immediately, her voice cold and angry as she focused on the image of the young king. "We must remind them who it is they should fear!"

"And how do you expect to do that?"

Kit smirked at her twin, "Easy, we eliminate Lion-O."

"The master won't let us fight him or try to kill him. You know as well as I do he wants to murder Lion-O with his own hands," Kat reminded her.

"Yes, I know the master doesn't want us to toy with Lion-O… but I'm sure there are many other ways we could hurt him if we wanted to," Kit put forth playfully. "And I do want to."

"Well, it seems you will have a chance to do something like that very soon, dear sister," Kat said, staring again at the cauldron's waters.

"Why do you say so?"

"He's going to leave the city," WilyKat said, inviting his sister to look at the images in the waters, which showed Lion-O climbing into a six-wheeled transport. Two other men were with him. The twins didn't fail to notice the long line of Thunderians also leaving the city, obviously seeking refuge somewhere else.

"Where is he going?"

Kat closed his eyes and focused, he still couldn't get the waters to carry the voices of those he watched as well as his master could, but he was able to listen to them in his mind if he concentrated. "He's going to Cat's Lair. Claims he needs to bring a few things Panthro asked him for."

"Do you think Lion-O would mind if I visit the City?" Kit smirked, savoring the chance to terrorize the stupid slaves who had stubbornly refused to give their loyalty to her master. "I would really like to play with our former little slaves over there."

"Yes, I do think he would mind."

"Then that makes it even better," She said with a smile so sinister it would have been enough to scare even Slithe. "Will you go with me, brother? It would be more fun that way."

"I surely would like to," Kat answered. "But I'm afraid I cannot. Lord Mumm-Ra asked me to guard him while he rests and recovers."

WilyKit frowned at Kat's answer. "Guard him, why? The master is certainly powerful enough to defend himself against any danger!"

"The master is powerful, yes… but even he needs to recover after performing two extremely tasking spells in such a short period of time," WilyKat explained. "Besides, there are other reasons why I must stay; reasons that the master unfortunately did not share with me. I just hope that he will tell them to us when the time is right."

"You're starting to talk like Lord Mumm-Ra does sometimes, dear brother," Kit responded. "But I guess you wouldn't be a wizard in training if you didn't. Fine then, if we can't ask about those reasons… then I'll simply go to the city so I can remind the filth there who their ruler is."

"Wait, Kit," WilyKat said as he reached for a small velvet bag he had strung to his belt. "Please take this with you."

"…Jewelry?" She asked, opening the bag her brother had handed to her and finding it contained a ruby, a small golden plate and a shiny silver pendant. "Why?"

"They're not just ornaments, sister; the ruby is an incendiary stone and the others will improve your Space Board. Place the plate on its hull and wear the pendant. It will make the board obey your thoughts, and can even pick you up if you need it."

"You can create things like these?" Kit asked while looking at the plate and the pendant.

"I'm a wizard in training, aren't I? This little trick is easy for me," Kat boasted, not mentioning he had actually found the spell to create the artifacts in an ancient scroll and was surprised when he performed it successfully.

"I'll give it a try. I could certainly use an upgrade for my Space Board," Kit agreed and with that, she left the Cauldron room, her mind filling with the many things that she could do once she was in the Capital.

The twins separated, neither of them thinking twice about the evil deeds they were committing, and Mumm-Ra couldn't help but smile inside his sarcophagus. The ancient wizard, though still resting, was very aware of the conversation Kit and Kat had just had, and was very pleased by what he had heard and by the absolute darkness he had felt dwelling inside both twins. It amazed him how quickly they had recovered from receiving the gift of the Snakes of Eternity, and it also impressed him how much their power had increased in just a matter of hours. What pleased him the most, however, was that the love the twins shared for each other had not weakened at all after their dark transformation and the way their loyalty to him had actually strengthened. The dark mage was so pleased that he did nothing to stop WilyKit from going to the City. With Kat ready to warn him in case the Ancient Spirits of Evil tried something, Mumm-Ra saw no need to keep his little girl in the pyramid and besides, he was curious as to how much damage she could cause with her new power.

Somewhere else, near the black pyramid...

An armored truck made its way through the sandy roads between the sharp, gray rocky cliffs that surrounded the cursed desert where the Black Pyramid was located. The vehicle was driven by Panthro, who was completely silent, his eyes never leaving the road, ready to do a sharp maneuver in case something decided to attack while his Thunder Truck crossed this dangerous lands. On the front passenger seat sat Tygra, who was as silent as his companion; the tiger's eyes, however, did not scan the road and instead focused in the device he carried in his lap.

It was the most powerful bomb he had ever helped to make and, Tygra had to admit, he and Panthro had outdone themselves. The architect was no stranger to detonators and explosives, having learned how to use them as that was part of demolishing and excavating raw materials for construction, but with Panthro's help he'd managed to create an explosive so strong it could easily turn a building as large as Cat Lair into dust. Such power scared the tiger a little; if something went wrong with the detonator... he didn't dare to think of it.

"We're almost there," Panthro said suddenly. Thanks to Pummyra's directions, he'd had no problem finding the exit of the labyrinth-like roads that snaked through the sharp cliffs around the desert. "If everything goes well, we should be returning to the Capital in a few minutes."

And just as Panthro had announced, as soon as the Thunder Truck exited through a crack between the tall walls of sharp, ancient rock, the pair of Thundercats found themselves in the outskirts of the dark desert. They could see the unholy structure Pummyra had talked about in front of them and, further ahead, they could see the mere tip of the Black Pyramid. The last time they had been this close to Mumm-Ra's lair had been when Lion-O returned and they battled the evil wizard, thinking that after defeating him all would be well at last.

"It's too lonely. I don't like this," Panthro said as he parked the Thunder Truck on the side of the black-slate paved platform that surrounded the arch.

"I don't like it either," Tygra agreed. "I'm sure this is a trap."

"As am I; but we have a job to do," The panther stated as he got off the Truck and started walking towards the arch. "So we better do it fast, before something or someone shows up."

"Yes, it's better to get it done quickly," the architect concurred as he picked up the bomb and followed his friend.

"Is this thing so fascinating?" Panthro asked, noticing the way his friend kept staring at the massive construction.

"I hate to admit it, my friend, but yes, it is. From a technical point of view, at least," Tygra answered; he and Panthro were already at the feet of the arch and the tiger was already programming the detonator. "I'll set the bomb to explode in a minute and a half, that should give us enough time to get to a safe distance, shouldn't it?"

"Yes, that should be time enough to…" Panthro found his words interrupted by a sudden shriek that pierced the hot desert winds. "Damn! I knew this was too easy!"

The Panther gritted his teeth as he stared at the hideous abominations which had emerged from the sands around him and Tygra, effectively surrounding them and blocking their escape route, condemning them to die as soon as the detonator's countdown reached zero. Panthro had counted twenty of the horrid crimson creatures and, convinced that the only way he and Tygra would get out of there alive was fighting, quickly pulled out his nunchaku, ready to fight for his chance to escape before the blast or at least die trying.

"So these are the Demon Beasts you mentioned," Panthro said, spinning his weapons and managing to sound completely calm even though the situation he and Tygra were in was incredibly desperate. "They're some really ugly bastards. Are they difficult to kill?"

"Very, my friend," the tiger answered. Tygra had positioned himself so he was back to back with Panthro and was already cracking his whip, hoping the beasts remembered it and wondering why the monsters were not attacking. "You know the counter can't be stopped, and we have little more than a minute to get the hell out of here; any ideas?"

"We do a frontal attack?"

"That's suicide," Tygra answered.

"Better than getting killed by the blast and perhaps, if we are lucky, I might be able to get us out," Panthro said as he pressed a button hidden in his belt, hoping that what he was planning would work, especially since he hadn't had the time to test it before today.

Tygra smirked. "A warrior's death; I suppose it will have to do."

"We won't die today; Cheetara is waiting for you… for us," Panthro replied and, saying no more, he rushed at the awaiting creatures, attacking with a fury so primal it matched even that of the Demons. The panther smashed a creature's fangs with his nunchaku and continued using them to mercilessly attack the creatures, attempting and sometimes managing to break through their hard hide.

Behind Panthro, Tygra was using his whip to stop the creatures from circling them, effectively keeping the Demon Beasts away enough from them to stop them from grabbing him or his partner from behind while Panthro was slowly but surely managing to open a path for both of them to the other side of the ring. The coordination between both friends as they fought the monsters was a sight to behold and was not the result of endless training hours, but the many combats they had gone through together, fighting side by side.

Their skill as fighters, however, was not making a difference and they both knew it. They had managed to keep the monsters at bay, and were actually making their way out of the circle of claws and teeth they had been trapped in, but they were not doing it quickly enough. Tygra glanced at the detonator's counter a few meters away and managed to see they only had eighteen seconds before the blast, and he was now certain they would not make it to a safe spot in time.

"Twelve seconds, Panthro!" Tygra growled, smashing the incendiary tips of his whip inside a beast's mouth and setting them off, charring the creature's mandibles as he did so. "If you were planning to do something, now would be the perfect time!"

Panthro didn't answer. He didn't have to. Because the loud roar of a motor rose above the furious shrieks of the Demon Beasts, and the next thing Tygra knew was that the Thunder Truck was careering towards them, running over monster after monster until it was about to pass in front of him and Panthro.

Tygra and Panthro didn't say a thing, it was not necessary, they knew exactly what to do and they didn't waste their chance; as soon as the Thunder Truck was close enough, both of them jumped atop it with feline agility. As the truck sped off, running over more Demon Beasts when it made a sharp turn, they managed to clamber inside.

"Yes! I knew my baby could do it!" Panthro yelled in triumph while he accelerated, heading for the road between the rocky cliffs from which they had entered this valley. "The remote control I installed on this beauty works as well as I expected!"

"Great! But there's only four seconds left, Panthro!" Tygra shouted, glancing at the counter on the control panel, which was synchronized to the one in the detonator. "Go faster!"

"I know!" The panther stated, managing to enter the narrow space between the high cliffs they had entered from without slowing down at all. "The rocks will protect us, so we should be…"

And then it happened. They could not hear the blast. They could only see the white light of the explosion around them as the force of the blast swallowed them at the same time it demolished not only the arch, but a large portion of the rocky cliffs they had hoped would give them refuge.

In the forests surrounding the Capital…

A vision of beauty jumped from the highest branch of a tree and spun four times in the air before landing on the next one, which she used as step to continue jumping from tree to tree in an apparent game to test her own skill. The gorgeous figure, her lithe form moving with an agility and grace well beyond even that displayed by the most skillful acrobat from the Puma clan, who were by far the best gymnasts of the Thunderian race, smiled as she finally reached the very top of the tallest tree around, rising above the sea of green surrounding her.

"I never could do this before, could never get this high up by myself," she marveled, her hands gently grasping the very top of the tree she stood on. "This new strength, this new agility, this power I feel burning inside me… it's incredible! I have never felt so alive before! I can do everything!

"And it is because of master Mumm-Ra…" The young woman whispered; her smile growing as she savored the feel of this new energy coursing through her body. "All of this thanks to my beloved lord…"

Still smiling, WilyKit allowed herself to fall, barely passing between the tree branches at an ever increasing speed as she dove headfirst to the ground. Less than twenty meters to the ground, however, Kit caught a branch momentarily, did a quick spin and landed on her Space Board, which had been tracing her movements all the time, ready to offer her a safe landing place as soon as she willed it to.

"I'll also have to thank my dear brother for upgrading you," Kit said as she caressed the plate adorning the hull of her board. "And what better way to thank both Lord Mumm-Ra and my brother than by reminding the stupid slaves why they should fear and obey us?"

Her resolve strengthened by her decision, WilyKit sped off in the direction of the city.

Cat's Lair, contrary to what the young King had expected, had not been attacked during the night by the Mutants or the Demon Beasts and stood imposingly before him. It impressed him even now, how quickly had they managed to repair the outside of the lair using only their limited resources and the help of some heavy machinery they had borrowed from the city. Sure, Cat's Lair was still far from being the nigh impenetrable fortress it had been once, but if things went right, it wouldn't take them long to bring the Lair back to its former glory.

Yes, if things went right. Even with his confidence somewhat back, Lion-O was not so fool as to expect the situation to fix itself from one day to the next; he was well aware that luck and things going right would be necessary and the truth was, things weren't going right at all at the moment. Snarf was dead. The Capital City had been brought to its knees in a matter of minutes. People had died. WilyKit had betrayed them. Tygra and Panthro were on a very dangerous mission that could well be a deadly trap. The only positives were Pummyra's return, the reports he got that the Thunderians in the farms and towns had safely gone into hiding and the fact the people in the Capital were not giving up; but other than that… Lion-O sighed and got off the transport, he had important things to do and brooding would not help him get things done.

"My King, what are you doing?" One of his two companions, a young Thunderian from the bobcat clan asked as he took Lion-O's place at the wheel of the vehicle.

"Deactivating the Security system so we can enter the Lair," the young lord answered, walking towards Cat's Lair, pressing the right combination of buttons on the remote he had pulled from under his belt a second before. A flicker of electricity around the feline structure was all Lion-O needed to know the Security had been shut off. "Alright, let's go get what we came from."

"You heard the king; move it, boy," The other Thunderian, an old engineer from the lynx clan said as he straightened in his chair. The old man was a very experienced engineer, and his duty here was simply to oversee the transportation of the delicate, but extremely heavy parts Panthro needed to start repairing the power plant.

The large vehicle was soon parked inside the Lairs' garage, and the young Thunderian was busying himself helping Lion-O load the spare parts they needed. The old man had offered his help, but the King had refused, and had instead asked him to make sure that all the equipment they were to move was actually there.

"I'm amazed that all of this is here," the old Thunderian admitted, looking wistfully at the spares as Lion-O and the young boy loaded them into the vehicle's cargo area. "I hadn't seen a flux converter like this one in a long time, and these Pulse capacitors will be very useful as well."

"Panthro was surprised the Mutants didn't take all of this when they raided to Lair," Lion-O said while pushing one of the heavy flux converters into the six-wheeler's cargo box. "I guess their machines use different parts from ours."

"Indeed they do," the old engineer confirmed. "They could adapt them to use as spare parts, I once saw Vulture Man do it, but our technologies are so different it's just not worth the effort adapting the parts to a machine, either for them or for us, unless there's no other alternative."

"What else is there to load?" the younger Thunderian asked, struggling with a heavy metal part he could barely lift. "We've taken pretty much everything that is not nailed to the floor."

"I think this will be enough," the old Thunderian judged. "These parts will suffice to at least get the city's main power generator back online for a few days; we'll probably have built a new one by then."

"I want to take Tygra's Skycutter with us," Lion-O announced, looking at the flying machine the tiger had used while looking for Pummyra. "We don't have any other vehicles capable of flight at the moment, and we can surely make good use of this one."

The other Thunderians nodded and in a matter of minutes, the six-wheeler was out and in route back to the Capital, fully loaded with the spare parts Panthro had asked for as well as the other Skycutter in possession of the Thundercats. Lion-O had chosen to sit in the back, along with the spare parts and flying vehicle, in order to have some peace and quiet he needed in order to think about his current situation, something he seemed to be doing a lot lately; the young king decided that what most mattered to him was keeping hope alive in the hearts of every Thunderian in the Capital, and build with them a bright future, honoring Snarf's wish.

"My King, we have arrived," the old Thunderian announced, stopping in front of the recently fortified gates of the Capital.

"Thank you," Lion-O answered and, deciding he being visible would get the gates open faster, jumped off the transport. The young Thundercat lord was about to call the guardians on the other side of the gates, when a sudden roar from the Sword of Omens caught his attention.

With no hesitation, Lion-O immediately reached for his sword, placing the hilt at eye level so he could see the threat the Eye had detected. When the king saw, however, he immediately wished he hadn't allowed the sword to grant him sight beyond sight. For what the king saw was how the Thunder Truck was engulfed by a fiery white blast. The last thing the Eye of Thundera showed him before ending the vision were the faces of Tygra and Panthro as the explosion caught them.

Lion-O ran to the back of the transport and in a matter of seconds had dragged out and started the engine of the Skycutter he'd insisted bringing from Cat's Lair. He'd felt he would be using it soon, but he didn't expect it would be this soon.

"My lord, where are you going?" the old engineer called, leaping out of the vehicle as he heard the sound of the Skycutter's engine. The old man, however, got no answer and all she saw was Lion-O taking off with a determined look on his face.

"Where is the king going?" The younger Thunderian said as he also descended the transport.

The old engineer didn't answer, all he did was silently hope the king would be able to solve whatever it had been the Sword of Omens showed him. With nothing else to do but praying for everything to be alright, the older Thunderian ran his left hand over his tired features and climbed back into the vehicle in order to take into the city. The gates had just been opened after all, and he would see that the work he'd still had to do was done correctly; it was all he could do to help his young king.

Outside the city, under the branches of thick trees that surrounded the west side of the Capital, a shadowy figure flew unhurriedly through the forest, moving slowly towards the almost deserted metropolis. The figure, a young woman sitting cross-legged on her Space Board, kept her eyes fixated on the buildings she could make out between the trees. Her face completely devoid of any emotion, WilyKit mentally went over her plan to punish the miserable slaves who dwelled in the quickly decaying city ahead of her like maggots would on a rotten corpse, thinking they actually were more important than what they truly were. But soon, once she burned the warehouse they kept all the medical supplies and medicines stored at to the ground, they would understand by despair what their place and who their master really was. And if she had to kill a few of those filthy things to achieve her goal, she would not mind at all.

_"You should stop and wait where you are for a moment dear sister. Lion-O is about to pass by you and we can't have him seeing you now, unless you want your plans ruined,"_ the voice of her brother said, gently entering her mind.

"What are you talking about? Did the Eye of Thundera see me?" she asked as she willed her board to stop. She thought about asking her brother how he could speak into her mind, but in the end she decided against it. Instead, Kit felt a surge of anticipation fill her completely at the chance of crossing paths with Lion-O so she could crush him like a bug.

_"The Eye hasn't seen you yet,"_ WilyKat explained. _"It simply showed Lion-O how Tygra and Panthro were trapped by the explosion of the device they used to destroy our arch. Being the sentimental fool he is, Lion-O is obviously heading there to see if he can rescue his friends."_

"Did they survive?" Kit asked, the information distracting her from her desire to battle the young king. "If Panthro and Tygra died it would make things easier for us."

"_It's hard to tell at the moment,_" Kat answered. _"On the other hand, I'm afraid I have to remind you that we can't fight Lion-O."_

"You shouldn't be reading my mind, dear brother," She complained. "Yes, I want to fight and kill him, but I'm not going against Mumm-Ra's orders unless it's absolutely necessary."

"I _was not reading your mind, but I can feel your emotions when I link our minds like this_," Kat clarified. _"I have to leave you now sister, please be careful."_

"I'm always careful," she answered and just then, Kit heard an engine approaching; the noise kept getting louder and louder, until it passed above her and quickly started to lose intensity. She had looked up and had managed to see a Skycutter dart pass her, piloted, of course by Lion-O. Her brother had been right then, which meant she just had to wait a couple of minutes before she could start her own mission.

Despite her youth, Pummyra had already received extensive medical training from her clan of healers, which she had mastered at a very young age and was now an extremely skilled medic. She was capable of doing more than what many other doctors could and for that reason alone, she had been promptly placed in charge of supervising the treating of the wounded in the shelter. Her expertise had already proven invaluable in saving the lives of two badly wounded Thunderians for whom her colleagues had already given up hope. True, she had not operated on either of the two wounded, but she had guided the other surgeons to a successful procedure. Pummyra's knowledge of healing herbs was also priceless and she had sent a group of five women to search for several plants she could use to substitute some of the antibiotics they were running out of. Thinking of this reminded her that she and the other doctors really needed the rest of the medical packs which were still in the warehouse, and the sooner they could get them, the better.

Unfortunately, thanks to her broken arm, she was in no shape to carry anything heavy; for a moment Pummyra considered asking Cheetara to go in her place but quickly dropped the idea. The puma had seen Cheetara a few minutes before, to check on the light wounds she received while fighting Mum-Ra's beasts and through the small talk they shared, she had noticed Cheetara needed some time to gather her thoughts, which seemed to be conflicting; Pummyra, knowing how close they had been, simply assumed the cheetah was still hurting for what WilyKit had done.

Which meant someone else she could trust completely would have to go; and Pummyra couldn't spare any of the nurses or doctors right then, leaving her only one option: to ask him. The puma sighed and stood up, leaving the relative calmness Lion-O's bedroom, now her provisional office provided her. Pummyra didn't have to search for him, as she found him sitting in a chair right outside the room. O-Celot looked up from the small book he was reading and nodded a greeting, but other than that he didn't move. The puma imagined he thought she was on her way to help a wounded man and that she wouldn't need him.

"_But I do need him,"_ she thought as she realized how strange this idea was to her; but when she remembered how gently he'd been when he carried her in Cat's Lair and how much he'd worried as he spent countless hours just watching over her, she understood this wasn't a strange thought, but rather a comforting one and that made her feel… good.

"Did you need something?" O-Celot asked, standing up to give Pummyra his full attention.

"Oh…? Yes, yes, actually I do!" Pummyra said, his eyes on her had made her feel shy and as she looked up at his face she suddenly realized for the first time just how tall he was and how imposing his battle armor made him look. She wondered why she had never really noticed that before; she knew he was tall, but had never considered his height compared to hers.

"_It's no wonder he was able to carry me so easily,"_ she reflected before clearing her throat to tell him what she needed.

"We're running out of medicine again. Could you please go and get the rest of the medical packs from warehouse number four? They're the last ones, and we need them as soon as possible."

"I'll go at once," O-Celot said with a soft smile. "I'll be back soon."

"I'll be waiting for your return; make sure to take a volunteer or two with you, that way you'll be back sooner," Pummyra suggested as he walked to the exit of the shelter. She did not miss the almost happy tone that made her way into her voice had as she promised she'd wait for him; slightly embarrassed and hoping nobody had noticed the puma went back into her provisional office to pick up some files she needed.

O-Celot was lucky to find one of the big, white trucks used to transport food available as soon as he left the shelter; his good mood only increased when he was able to easily convince two young men from the Panther clan to go with him. The Forge-master felt quite content, he wasn't a doctor and had felt useless for most of the day; but now that he had something to do he felt better and the fact that Pummyra had personally requested his help only added to his cheerfulness. Now, if nothing unexpected happened, he planned to be back in the shelter in less than twenty minutes. The city streets were, after all, pretty much deserted except for the people working at the power plant. Not wanting to waste more time O-Celot placed his massive hammer next to the driver's seat and started the engine.

"Wait! If you're going downtown, can you give me a ride?" a female voice asked suddenly.

O-Celot looked out of the truck's window to see a young woman standing there. She had a bandage on her left shoulder and carried a large boomerang on her back. He'd seen the girl conversing with the king the night before.

"I'm sorry, but we are in a rush," he explained. "I'm afraid we can't just give a ride to everyone who asks for one."

"You won't have to wait for me," She responded. "I can come back by myself, please?"

"Mister O-Celot, let her come with us," one of the young men said "It won't take more than a second and she's not asking that we wait for her."

"Besides, warehouse four is downtown," the other young man joined. "So why not?"

The Forge-master smirked, lowered his head to hide a chuckle and pointed to the back door. In less that a second, the auburn haired girl was sitting in the back of the truck next to one of his volunteers, who seemed to be all too glad to have her sitting near him. O-Celot just nodded when the girl thanked him, his mind busy thinking about the fastest route to his destination as he sped the vehicle through the empty streets of the Capital.

"My name's Thero," the volunteer sitting in the back said after a few moments of unbearable, at least for him, silence.

"And I'm Laros," the other volunteer said. "What's your name?"

"I'm Aliona," she answered.

"Why are you going downtown?" Laros asked as he sat sideways so he could regard the girl sitting in the back better. "Most people won't leave the shelter, and many who are not wounded have gone to the towns north of here to hide."

"I'm going to get my hover-bike; I left it there during the attack."

"You shouldn't risk your safety for something like that," Thero scolded. "Downtown's not safe."

"Even if you have a weapon," Laros said pointing at Aliona's boomerang. "If one of the monsters shows up you won't be able to kill it, only a Thundercat could."

Aliona paled a little and felt her shoulder sting a bit at the memory of her encounter with one of the monsters. "Yes, I know, but still…"

"Mind your words, kids, you're making her uncomfortable," O-Celot said as he parked the truck next to a closed shop. "But the boys are right; it is dangerous to walk around here alone… I might have told you we won't wait for you, but if you can get to warehouse four in fifteen minutes or so we could all go back together."

"Thank you, mister O-Celot," Aliona said as she got off the truck, "I'll try to be there."

"If you aren't, then make sure you take this same route; it's the safest road to the shelter," the large Tunderian advised and with that, he continued his way to his destination.

Warehouse four was a gray building located in a long block together with the rest of the seven huge warehouses where Mumm-Ra used to store everything from construction materials, metal and minerals to products like chemicals, silk, glass ornaments and spice, all of this mostly for trading with other worlds. Of course after the wizard's fall, the Thundercats had decided to keep only the minerals, chemicals and construction materials and use the rest of the warehouses to store vegetables, dry meat, seeds and medicine. The sudden loss of power, however, had pressed the Thunderians to move all the food they had stored to several houses near the shelter, so it could be consumed before it rotted. This left the valuable medical packs still in the warehouse but considering that they were close to the shelter, it had not been considered a problem.

For WilyKit, on the other hand, it was extremely convenient and it actually amused her to no end how stupid the Thundercats could be. If it had been her choice, she would have moved each and every medical pack to the shelter along with food and all the bottled water possible. The young woman smirked; she couldn't expect much from the stupid slaves or the imbecile Thundercats, and their lack of proper planning and organization did not surprise her. She would take full advantage of it, though.

"Fools, keeping highly flammable chemicals so close to the medicine they need so much…" she whispered while jumping down from her Space Board to the roof of warehouse four, landing on the edge of the edifice. She was not surprised to see five armed Thunderians there, obviously guarding the medical packs instead, she had to suppress and urge to laugh at them. Only five slaves protecting this location was an absolute joke, since even a single Demon Beast would be able to disembowel the guards in a matter of seconds.

And she was about to do just that when she caught the sound of an approaching vehicle. Intrigued, the young woman waited until she could see who was coming. When the truck stopped in front of the warehouse and three Thunderians got off it, she couldn't help but smile as she saw one man she did recognize: O-Celot. Kit smiled sinisterly at the sight of the Forge-master; she hadn't forgotten how he'd helped Lion-O capture her and was now really looking forward to paying him back for that humiliation.

She observed with little interest how O-Celot, his companions and four of the guards entered the warehouse, obviously looking for some medical supplies to take back to the shelter. After waiting a few seconds she let herself fall along the facade of the warehouse, landing right in front of a very surprised guard. WilyKit did not hesitate and took a quick step forward raising her left arm as she did so, stabbing the frightened Thunderian in the neck with the sharp blades of her vambraces; Kit didn't stop and swiftly pulled her left forearm to the side, effectively cutting open the neck of her victim.

"Useless piece of trash," Kit muttered as she effortlessly kicked the dying Thunderian almost a dozen feet away before entering the building. "Perhaps the rest of the pests here will be more entertaining to terminate."

WilyKit was seen as soon as she crossed the large door of the warehouse, and she evaluated the situation before the surprised Thunderians had identified her. Two of the guards, those with laser guns, stood on opposite ends of the hallway while the other two, who had swords hanging from their belts, helped a pair of panther clan kids carry some medical packs. She couldn't see O-Celot, but she knew he would come out once she took care of the maggots in front of her.

And she did take care of them. Before the armed guardians could react, Kit dashed at the one on the right and gutted him with a lightning-fast slash of her bladed vambraces, and a quick spin to the left allowed her to do the same to the other one, she did this so swiftly they didn't even had a chance to point his gun at her. As the gunmen fell, she quickly grabbed the other two guards by the neck and brought them down hard, cracking their skulls open against the stone floor with incredible ease.

WilyKit stood up slowly and looked at the two kids from the panther clan with a playful grin; she enjoyed the expressions of absolute fear in their faces, and delighted in their horror as if it were a glass of cold, delicious red wine. Smiling, Kit opened her arms in a friendly gesture before she spoke.

"Call O-Celot for me, little slaves; I want him to see how I kill you."

Laros and Thero could not do what they were told, even if they had wanted to. They were so terrified of the deadly woman clad in red that their bodies were completely paralyzed.

The young warrior sighed and ran her fingers through the line of black adorning her red hair. She was disappointed; she had expected the filth in front of her would at least be able to scream but instead they had turned into mumbling blobs of terrified flesh she had no use for.

"Pathetic worms," WilyKit said as she walked slowly towards one of the fear-paralyzed kids. Once she stood next to him she grabbed his head in a flash and twisted it in the wrong direction with both hands, killing her victim immediately.

"La-Laros… he was my best friend, you traitor!"

"So you can speak after all?" Kit mocked. "Good. Now come, avenge your friend if you can!"

The horror grasping Thero's heart and the pain at seeing his best friend murdered, coupled with the mocking words of the woman in red were more than enough to send the young man over the edge. Prey of his own despair, Thero charged blindly at WilyKit, throwing a punch aiming at her face. His punch, however didn't find its target, because his fist ended up hitting nothing but air. He however, could not pull it back. WilyKit had his elbow in an iron grip with her left hand and was using her right one to squeeze his shoulder.

"Traitor, you called me?" She asked with a voice filled with venom. "Your precious Thundercats are the traitors here, you miserable piece of trash!" Saying no more, Kit pulled down, breaking Thero's elbow and immediately shoving the screaming young panther to the ground, where he continued howling and writhing in pain.

"You annoy me, do shut up," stating this, WilyKit stepped on the young man's throat and pushed hard until a loud crack was heard. Thero's body went limp immediately afterward. "All that's left is to kill O-Celot and burn this place to the ground; I'm sure he…"

WilyKit's words were interrupted by a heavy iron box thrown her way, which she easily dodged. The young warrior maiden couldn't help but smile as she saw the heavy box crashing loudly on the wall at her left. She turned and was greeted by the sight of a furious O-Celot charging at her.

She waited until her opponent was close enough and before he had a chance to tackle her, she grabbed him by the arm and used his own momentum to toss him out of the warehouse and into the side of his truck.

O-Celot had walked to back of the warehouse, checking if no medical packs had been placed here and also to see if he could find more bottles of antiseptic, or boxes of gauze or a few more rolls of bandages. He didn't find any gauze or bandages, but he had managed to find a heavy box full of alcohol and what he thought were antibiotics. He wondered why they had placed those things in an iron box, but it didn't matter much. Pleased with his discovery, he lifted it and walked back to the entrance. It was then he heard the screaming; worried that someone had had an accident, O-Celot rushed to the entrance, only to find a picture of death in front of him: Standing in the middle of the hallway, surrounded by the bloody corpses of six Thunderians was WilyKit, dressed in bright red as if she were a murderous devil.

The sight of the murdered guardians and his two young companions filled O-Celot with such powerful rage that he almost lost control and it took all his willpower not to jump at WilyKit in a suicidal attack. What he did instead was throw the heavy box he carried at her to force her lower her guard so he could grab her and restrain her. As he expected, WilyKit easily dodged the box and seemed surprised by it, but she immediately turned and smiled at him. O-Celot, already in mid charge was unable to stop and change tactics, all he could do was to hope the girl didn't jump out of the way. She didn't. Instead, she waited until he was about to take hold of her to slide under him, grab him by the wrist and before he knew it, she had tossed him with unbelievable ease out of the warehouse and straight into his truck. The Forge-master was glad he had worn his armor; otherwise he feared his spine would have shattered with the impact.

"Don't worry O-Celot," he heard WilyKit say as he struggled back to his feet. "I'll make sure to make this last as long as possible."

The next thing O-Celot felt was an incredible pain as WilyKit punched him fiercely in the stomach and immediately grabbed him by his neck and started squeezing the life out of him. What frightened the Forge-master even more, however, was the fact he had not seen WilyKit move.

A few moments before…

Aliona stood in place for a moment after O-Celot left; it amazed her how different the city felt, without the sounds of merchants she was used to hear, even during Mumm-Ra's reign, filling downtown's every corner. The streets were all deserted, and all she could hear was the occasional gust of wind running through the alleys or the crowing of some crows that flew from rooftop to rooftop. The auburn haired girl secured her Thunderang in place and started walking to the alley she had parked her hover bike the day of the attack, hoping it still was there.

It didn't take her long to find the alley and fortunately, her bike was where she'd left it. After checking her vehicle and Thundrillium tank, Aliona hopped on it, started the engine and sped off to where she knew the warehouses were to see if she could help a little; she knew the men there probably wouldn't let her carry anything because of her wounded shoulder, even if it had almost healed, but perhaps she could help them with something else like finding antibiotics, bandages or other medical supplies.

Aliona only needed a couple of minutes to reach the warehouses, arriving there from a lateral street. She stopped at the corner for a moment to adjust the brakes, since she had noted they were slightly unresponsive and looked ahead of her once she had finished, just to check if O-Celot's truck was still there. She felt relieved when she saw the truck half a block away and the gates of warehouse four open, which meant he and Laros and Thero would be there as well.

Her hopes of meeting her friends were destroyed by what she saw then: O-Celot crashing into and denting the side of the truck before falling unceremoniously to the ground. She then saw a woman wearing red clothes walk out of the warehouse to attack and strangle O-Celot. Aliona knew who this woman was. Every Thunderian did; it was none other than 'Lady' WilyKit, who had betrayed the Thundercats and gone to Mumm-Ra's side and had even pretended to reform before going on a murdering rampage before she was captured.

"…When did she escape?" Aliona asked herself in a low voice as she quickly crouched to hide between the corner wall and her hover bike. "Was she the one who brought the creatures that destroyed the power generator? Why is she here now? Did she see me?"

The young woman closed her eyes and forced herself to think; in the end, she realized that there were only two things she could do: The first one was call the shelter and ask for help, which she could do with the radio on her hover bike and the second was helping O-Celot, something she had already decided to do, even if it meant risking her life.

The young woman reached for the radio mounted on her bike with a shaky hand and turned it on, searching between signals until she found the one she'd hear would be used at the shelter. Luckily for her, someone answered almost immediately.

"_Cheetara here, who's calling? This frequency is only for emergencies."_

"This is Aliona," The auburn haired girl answered, relief washing over her as she heard Cheetara's voice. "I'm at the warehouses, WilyKit is here! She's attacking mister O-Celot and…!"

"_I'll be there soon_," Cheetara interrupted. _"Stay where you are and for your own good, don't try to fight her; Cheetara out."_

"Wait, there's…!" Aliona called but it was useless; Cheetara had cut off the communication. She tried calling again but no one answered, all she got was static, as if Cheetara had blocked her frequency so it wouldn't reach the shelter's radio.

Not understanding why Cheetara would do that and fearing that by the time she arrived it would be too late, Aliona reached for her boomerang and prepared to do what she had just been forbidden to do. Disobeying a Thundercat's orders was shameful, but if she could save O-Celot's life by doing so, then she was prepared to face the consequences.

Back at the Shelter…

Cheetara cut the communication with Aliona and then made it so her signal wouldn't get through again unless someone else unblocked it in the radio. The cheetah knew this was wrong and she felt guilty about it, but if WilyKit was indeed back in the Capital then she wanted to deal with her alone. It had to be like that, as the Cheetah now considered WilyKit to be her responsibility.

She hadn't helped WilyKit all those years ago when she cried in her arms before the mutants dragged her to Mumm-Ra's pyramid. She should have let her come to the mines with Panthro and the others but instead had agreed to let her live with Mumm-Ra, if only because she though Kit would survive longer if the mummy kept her hostage than working at the extremely toxic Thundranium mines.

"We shouldn't have given the twins to Mumm-Ra; we were so stupid back then!" Cheetara whispered as she closed her eyes and fought the lump in her throat that came after she remembered what WilyKit told her the last time they spoke to each other; but even if Kit was convinced that Mumm-Ra loved her, Cheetara believed the girl was not truly evil yet. After all, WilyKit had told her where to find Pummyra.

"And if there's still good in her heart, it is my duty to try to bring her back," The Cheetah swore, feeling a strong resolve ignite in her heart, a powerful will not too different from what a mother would feel when determined to save her children.

"I need to use the radio," Pummyra announced, entering the communications room and being surprised at finding Cheetara there. "I forgot to tell O-Celot to bring more antiseptic, and that's not in the medical packs, so..."

"He's probably too busy to look for your medicine," Cheetara told her. "I just got a call telling me the warehouses are under attack."

"Is O-Celot alright?" Pummyra asked, not realizing the first thing that came to her mind was the safety of the Forge-master. "Who is attacking us?"

"They didn't say," lied Cheetara. "But I'm going to find out."

Before Pummyra could say anything about Cheetara's wounds, the Cheetah had already left the room in a flash of orange. The puma leaned on the desk the radio was at and prayed the elders for O-Celot's safety and for Lion-O and the other Thundercats to return swiftly.

Meanwhile, not too far from the Black Pyramid, between the massive rocky cliffs bordering the desert…

Lion-O didn't have to search for too long before he saw what he assumed was the place the explosion had taken place; he hadn't seen the arch but had no doubt about where it used to stand. Below him was a large circular depression surrounded by smoking sand; what shocked Lion-O were the crystalline formations on the sand and inside the crater, he hadn't expected the explosive developed by Tygra and Panthro would be powerful enough to crystallize the ground.

The shock-wave created by the explosion that the Eye of Thundera had shown him had also been terrifying, a large portion of the tall cliffs surrounding the place the arch had been located at had collapsed on the small road that extended between them into the distance. The king knew this was the road Tygra and Panthro had taken when they tried to escape the blast. He also knew that they were trapped (Lion-O would never for a moment believe they were dead) under the rubble somewhere. Struggling to keep back the fear of losing two of his best friends, the young sovereign landed his vehicle, praying to Jaga that Tygra and Panthro were not badly hurt. Lion-O didn't even wait for the Skycutter's engine to stop once he landed it; he immediately jumped off and ran to the mountain of rubble in front of him.

"Panthro, Tygra! Can you hear me?" Lion-O shouted as he frantically dig through the small pebbles covering the larger rocks. "Please answer me!"

The young King got no response and, barely containing his fear and despair, doubled his efforts, now lifting rock after rock and tossing them aside in a mad effort to find something, anything that would reignite his faltering hope that his friends were still alive. Several minutes passed like this until finally, the brave Lion found that something.

Because under the last rock he'd lifted he found a metallic surface. His hope reborn, Lion-O started working again, faster and more feverishly than before, discovering more and more of what he now was sure was Panthro's Thunder Truck. In less than a minute, the lord of the Thundercats had unearthed almost all of the truck's bed and box cap which was, unsurprisingly, beyond repairing.

"But Panthro always reinforced the hull of the cabins in our vehicles," Lion-O recalled as he wiped the sweat off his brow. "I can't keep digging like this; it's taking too much time…"

And so, without hesitation, Lion-O reached for his sword and commanded it to reach its full size with a quick flick of his wrist; once that was done, he slashed at the rock, releasing a wave of power that reduced them to dust while at the same time sparing the truck. He found the cab had been crushed along with the engine; alarmed, the king rushed to the cabin and ripped the door off its hinges to see if his friends were inside.

Panthro and Tygra were indeed inside the cabin, which both relieved and terrified Lion-O. He felt relieved because he could see both his friends were breathing. He felt terrified because of the blood on them. Panthro's face was a bloody mess, thanks to a piece of glass that protruded from his forehead. Tygra was bleeding as well, his chest full of crystal shards; mercy had been on the tiger's side it seemed, as he was completely unconscious.

"Took you long enough to... get here..." Panthro managed to say, turning towards the young king and spewing blood with every word. "Thanks... I was starting to... lose hope..."

"I'll get you out of here," Lion-O swore. "I have a Skycutter, I'll take the both of you to the city and you'll be fine, don't worry!"

"Got to... make something to carry us... there is wire in the back…" Panthro weakly offered. "I'm sorry... I can't... help more..."

"I'll take care of everything," Making this promise, Lion-O rushed to the back of the crushed truck, a way to transport his friends already forming in his mind.

While Lion-O worked, Panthro reached to his face and felt the shard of glass sticking out of his brow with weak fingers. Taking a deep breath and biting his lips to avoid screaming, Panthro grabbed the glass with his thumb and index finger and pulled hard, removing it from skin. The panther tried to stand up then, but his strength failed him and he fell unconscious at last.

Lion-O worked as fast as he could, using the Sword of Omens to slice the box of the truck into rectangular pieces. He selected five, a large one he would use as a bed and four more which he planned to use to make a cradle were he would place his two friends; he had also located the wire Panthro had mentioned, it was pretty thick and seemed to be strong enough to carry the cradle and both wounded Thundercats. Using the Sword to shoot carefully controlled blasts of energy, Lion-O welded metal piece to metal piece and finally, weld the steel wire to both the cradle and the wings of the Skycutter. Now that he had the means to transport his friends, he just needed to place them in the rudimentary crib he'd built.

It didn't take Lion-O long to move Tygra and Panthro into the make-shift cradle, and he thanked Jaga that both of them were unconscious, since at least it meant they would not feel as much pain while being transported to the Capital. After tightly tying the wounded Thundercats to the metallic cradle with some leftover wire, Lion-O took off as gently as he could, thankful that the Skycutter was able to do so vertically.

Halfway back to the city, a slightly relieved Lion-O decided to call in advance to the shelter, so Pummyra would be ready to treat Panthro and Tygra immediately.

"Lion-O here; Pummyra, do you copy?"

"_Lion-O? Thank Jaga! I was about to call you!"_ the puma answered with a voice full of hope as she listened to him.

"Is there a problem?" the young king asked, already knowing the answer.

"_There's an attack going on at the warehouses! I'm not sure who is attacking us but Cheetara went to investigate, I think it could be some of the creatures Mumm-Ra sent before!"_ Pummyra informed. _"Please, Lion-O, hurry back!"_

"I'm carrying two wounded Thundercats with me!" Lion-O argued, anxiety getting the better of him from a moment. Was it written nothing would go well that day? Finally, taking a couple of seconds to calm down, the king continued. "I can't fly faster, Pummyra, I would drop Tygra and Panthro if I do! You'll have to endure while I get there, please make sure everyone remains calm!"

_"I'll try Lion-O, I promise. I'll be waiting for Tygra and Panthro,"_ Pummyra replied and cut the transmission out.

Fearing for the safety of his people, the young king dared to fly a little faster, wondering why the Eye of Thundera didn't show him the situation in the capital.

At warehouse four…

WilyKit, still holding O-Celot by his neck, forced him into a crouching position so she could look at his face. It amused her how much fury she could see there; fury mixed with something else… defiance maybe? Whatever it was it really didn't matter, for he would die very soon; and in a very humiliating way, just like he and the other slaves deserved.

It was then that she heard it, something heading in her direction from her right. A quick glance was all her body, accustomed to years of fighting deadly stone golems for training, needed to react: in less than a second, she let go off O-Celot and jumped high in the air, successfully evading the rotating circle of sharp steel that passed just where she'd been standing.

WilyKit flipped backwards in mid-air and landed on top of O-Celot's truck. She paid no attention to the coughing Forge-master writhing on the ground at the side of the vehicle; her full attention was on the person who caught the sharp metal weapon that had been thrown against her.

It was her, Aliona, the girl who had arrived to the Lair crying for her dead father. Kit remembered very well how that useless slave had spoken about her twin and how she had convinced the stupid Thundercats to go with her to the funeral of her miserable farmer of a father. WilyKit felt a surge of hate invade her. How dare that piece of trash attack her? She had already badmouthed her twin, which was unforgivable, but now she had the gall to try to stop her from doing as she wanted? Who did she think she was?

"I'll make you pay for your insolence!" Kit swore as she jumped in the direction Aliona still stood. WilyKit's leap carried her to only a few meters from her despised target. She had landed gracefully, and was pleased as she noticed she'd cleared most of the distance that separated her from the inferior girl who had committed the sin of attacking her. She could still hear O-Celot coughing incessantly, and knowing he wouldn't bother her for a few moments, she stalked towards her prey. Kit's face was low and her hands had balled into fists. Memories of Aliona exposing her brother flashed in her mind and fed her anger, mixing with the hate the slave's attack had awoken. As she moved closer to the other woman, Kit decided not to kill her until she had broken her body beyond recognition.

Aliona, who was already afraid after seeing how easily WilyKit had dodged her boomerang, felt her blood drain from her heart in fear as she witnessed the distance Kit had managed to leap. She had never seen a Thunderian jump such a large distance, not even Puma clan members like her father were able to jump like that. And Kit hadn't stopped to recover after such amazing leap; instead she simply started walking in her direction with murder in her eyes.

The farmer girl was out of options. WilyKit was too close now so throwing the Thunderang at her would be useless and trying to use it as a sword of sorts would probably not work either. Swallowing in fear, almost resigned to her grim fate, Aliona suddenly remembered something her grandfather could do with the weapon. She had tried it once before without success and now doubted she would manage to do it.

Praying to her grandfather, Aliona steadied herself, planted her feet firmly on the ground and took in a deep breath. She held her boomerang in her right hand and was focusing in trying to let her strength flow through the weapon. That was the secret of Thundercat weapons, her grandfather had explained, their special power was triggered by the inner strength of a Thunderian, which was the reason few other species could use them and why most of the times only the nobles, who with counted exceptions were the ones who received the proper training, could access the mighty power of their special weapons.

"Please grandfather, let this work!" Aliona screamed then, bringing down the Thunderang to the ground, stabbing it with the other end of her weapon. To her surprise, whether by luck or by the intervention of her deceased grandfather, a blast of electricity was released from the weapon, which arched through the ground in a blast of light, catching WilyKit completely off guard, hitting her with a strong electric blast that not only stopped her, but also immobilized her.

WilyKit had truly not expected this, she had imagined Aliona would try to throw her boomerang at her, but she instead had attacked her with lightning! Unfortunately for the stupid slave, she was not in pain, the electricity was not hurting her at all and other than stopping her from moving, she practically didn't feel it. But this was not right; this was not right at all! A slave was not supposed to be able to use a Thundercat weapon!

Blind with fury, Kit extended her arms violently, dissipating the electric hold restraining her. The warrior maiden followed this with a quick step and a punch straight at the face of her opponent, intending to break her jaw or at least shatter her cheekbones.

The auburn haired girl screamed in terror as WilyKit escaped the electric hold with surprising ease and immediately attacked her. Not knowing what to do, she brought up the flat side of her boomerang, attempting to use it as a shield. This worked, as WilyKit's fist did hit the weapon and not her, but it didn't stop the incredible strength behind the punch and she found herself flying back several steps, her boomerang landing well out of her reach.

WilyKit had to admit she was mildly annoyed with Aliona's resistance. That she had managed to block her punch at such short distance was quite remarkable. This annoyance, however, only increased the hate she felt for her. "You actually though your sad attempt at using a Thundercat weapon would stop me?" Kit asked as she walked to the fallen girl. "Please, that electric blast was so pathetic it didn't even sting!"

Mumm-Ra's concubine reached her victim as she tried to crawl to where her weapon was. The young warrior couldn't stop a laugh at this scene. She had never before understood why Mumm-Ra laughed when his opponents were at his feet, trying to get back up to continue fighting. But now, as she watched how Aliona tried to reach her only chance to fight back and survive, miserably crawling slower than a slug, she finally understood. The pathetic image of a beaten enemy at her feet was so incredibly hilarious and it filled her with such a joy and exhilaration that she couldn't stop her laughter. Kit, however, remembered that laughing too much would give a chance to her foe to actually do something, as she and the other Thundercats had done in the past when she was still a part of that useless group.

Willing herself to stop laughing, Kit noticed that Aliona had almost reached her weapon; just as she had realized an instant ago, laughing too much at the miserable attempts to survive this trash was making would have allowed her to actually do something. Unfortunately for her, she was not going to let her do anything else.

Aliona had almost reached the Thunderang. The girl was not sure if she could use it to release another blast of electricity, but she had to try. She had to or she would die, there was no other option. Hope blooming in her as her fingertips touched the edge of her weapon, she just wished that Kit continued laughing, just to have the satisfaction of shutting her up once she had the boomerang in her hands. Her wish did not come true, though, just as she thought she could grab the boomerang's handle, a sharp pain tore through her left shoulder and she felt herself being pulled up. The farmer girl screamed in pain as WilyKit, who now held her above the ground by her wounded shoulder, used sharp claws to squeeze her wound open and at the same time create a new one.

"What were you planning to do?" Kit asked. "Hurt me? Please, an insect like you would never be able to touch me."

Noticing how the bandage covering Aliona's shoulder started to stain red, Kit smirked and sank her claws deeper, tearing open the girl's healing wound until she was rewarded by a spurt of blood, enjoying the tears of despair she gained from her victim as a result. But as satisfying as this was, it was not enough. Kit wanted to hear her scream. Looking straight into her eyes, WilyKit reached slowly for Aliona's right hand, which she held firmly in her own.

"You used this hand to throw your boomerang at me, didn't you?" Kit said coldly, her eyes flashing red with evil as she used her awesome new strength to break Aliona's hand, causing the girl to howl in pain. "Good luck using it for that anytime soon!"

"Let that girl go right now!"

WilyKit raised an eyebrow at the hoarse voice behind her that had ordered her to stop playing with her new toy. It took her a moment to recognize it as the voice of O-Celot, who had apparently decided to interrupt her plans again. Slowly, Kit turned to face the Forge-master, but she did not let go of Aliona. She smiled as she saw the tall Thunderian had decided to match his armor with that large hammer he always carried around. The young warrior evaluated the situation and decided that since Aliona was in no shape to try anything stupid, she could continue playing with O-Celot for a while.

"Since you ask so nicely… I'll grant your wish!" WilyKit answered with a smirk as she threw a badly wounded and bleeding Aliona violently to the side.

O-Celot couldn't help but glance to where Aliona fell to find the whimpering girl had curled into a ball and didn't seem that she would try to move again for a while. That was good; it meant he would be able to fight without having to worry about her until he'd defeated WilyKit.

His thoughts, however, were interrupted by something hitting him in the chest with so much force he was actually sent staggering a few steps back. His attention back on the fight at hand the Forge-master saw WilyKit lowering her right leg. The tall Thunderian felt a piercing pain and looked down at his breastplate to find it had been bent inward.

"She was able to do this with just a _kick_, what kind of a monster is she?" O-Celot thought in stunned disbelief. He had forged this armor personally, and had made it so strong that it had allowed him to survive falling on a precipice years ago, and the armor had endured that fall with not even a scratch. That Kit would actually damage his prized armor so easily was almost impossible!

"I'm impressed; you should be on your knees with your sternum broken. It seems that armor is actually useful, too bad I can't say the same about you," WilyKit mocked as she crossed her arms. "And here I thought you wanted to fight."

O-Celot overcame the hint of fear WilyKit damaging his armor had sparked in him and raised his hammer, ready to attack again. He gritted his teeth and pushed down the pain in his chest, focusing only in the fight at hand. He was a former soldier from Pummyra's Rebel Army and had no intention to be killed in the middle of the street like a dog!

His determination to win burning fiercely, O-Celot rushed at WilyKit, bringing down his hammer in an attempt to take her down in one hit. This attempt, unfortunately, failed miserably and his hammer hit nothing but the ground, creating a small depression on impact. WilyKit had moved to the left a fraction of a second before it hit her. The Forge-master didn't stop, though, and he swung his hammer up immediately, only to see it miss its target again. This continued for a few seconds, as O-Celot kept swinging his weapon with no result other than missing or hitting air. He was not, however, attacking at random; every swing of his weapon was meant to force WilyKit to dodge backwards and with this he was actually cornering her against the wall of warehouse two.

"It's the end!" he yelled once he had WilyKit against the wall, swinging down with all his might in a final attempt to hit her. But once again, WilyKit dodged, she simply crouched and slid to the side, avoiding the hammer completely, which crashed into the wall with such force that most of it actually collapsed, leaving half of the interior of warehouse two exposed.

WilyKit had noticed immediately what O-Celot was trying to do; she wasn't so stupid that she wouldn't recognize the wild swings for what they were, and she was also quite aware of the layout of the street. The only reason she had played along O-Celot's game was to see his face once his strategy failed. She had to admit, however, that the damage he'd caused with his hammer had impressed her a little.

"You must be almost as strong as Panthro in order to do something like this," she acknowledged calmly, looking at the remains of the wall. "Almost impressive, but it won't be enough to stop me."

"Then how about this!" O-Celot roared, quickly lifting his mace and swinging it hard in a circle he aimed to complete on WilyKit's shoulder.

"I told you it wouldn't be enough," WilyKit reminded him. She had closed her eyes and remained still where she stood, giving O-Celot a glimpse of hope but at the last second, she darted her hand up and caught the head of the hammer with her palm, stopping it with incredible ease. "You are strong, very strong, but I am now stronger than any other Thunderian who's ever lived!"

To prove her point, WilyKit's fingers wrapped around the hammer's head and little by little, her fingertips started sinking on the metal and with one final twist of her wrist, she bent the solid end of the weapon up as though it were a piece of clay.

"And now that you see how inferior you are…" WilyKit started, pleased at the terror she finally found in O-Celot's eyes. "It is time to end this."

It took Kit less than three seconds to bring her opponent down; she simply let go off the hammer and immediately grabbed O-Celot's silver breastplate, which she torn apart as if it were mere paper, pulled her hand back to gauge the amount of strength needed, and then smashed her right fist in the middle of his chest, sending the Forge-master to the other side of the street with a broken sternum and three cracked ribs. O-Celot did not get up after this.

The warrior maiden took in a deep breath and relaxed her muscles, she spared a cold glance in the direction of O-Celot, who had already lost consciousness and Aliona, who was a weeping mess in the middle of the street and decided to spare their lives for the time being. She still had to set warehouse four on fire, and it would be much more interesting if she threw the Forge-master and the farmer girl into the flames so she could watch them burn. She had never seen a Thunderian burn to death, and was somewhat curious about it. Her decision made, WilyKit walked back to the fourth warehouse and reached under her belt for the incendiary stone her brother gave her and gazed at it. The little stone glittered red under the light and, she had to admit it, was quite a beautiful thing; a beautiful and lethal thing, very much like herself.

"I guess a little vanity can be forgiven," WilyKit whispered when she realized she had compared her own beauty with that of the shiny stone she held. "Well, let's see if this works."

WilyKit tossed the crimson jewel into the warehouse then, and was rewarded with a flash of light as soon as the stone hit the floor, followed by a spark of flames that quickly grew into an all consuming fire that expanded easily over the wooden shelves inside the storehouse. In a matter of seconds, the magic flames had spread all over the warehouse and even reached the ceiling, soon, the fire would extent to the adjacent buildings.

And smiling in triumph at the door of the burning warehouse stood WilyKit, watching with infinite glee as flames consumed everything.

Cheetara should have arrived to the warehouses already. Covering the short distance that separated the shelter and the warehouses should have been kid's play for someone gifted with her speed. But that speed was failing her today and, as she leaned against a wall and pressed her hand against her mauled ribs, she cursed herself for underestimating the wounds the Demon Beast had caused her. True, the monster had not broken any of her bones and had only cut her skin on the surface, but the massive strain it had caused to her muscles and inner organs was still troubling her and prevented her from not only reaching her top speed, but also from running for more than a few seconds without having to stop due to a sharp pain she would start feeling on her side. It was then that, as she looked up, she noticed the thick, black smoke rising from between the buildings.

"It is happening again… I can't stop now," The cheetah said as she took in a deep breath and started running, pushing herself as much as she could.

When Cheetara arrived to her destination, her wish to see WilyKit immediately again was not granted. She was nowhere in sight. Slightly confused, Cheetara quickly looked at her left at the sound of someone sobbing and found Aliona whimpering on the ground, and further down the street she saw O-Celot's inert form. Was he dead? She hoped he wasn't; as for Aliona, the cheetah just hoped she wasn't badly injured.

"I admit I wasn't expecting you of all people to come here."

Cheetara looked back towards warehouse four and found WilyKit looking at her. The image she saw unnerved her a little and she almost backed up a step; framed and obscured by the eerie light of the flames, the only thing visible in WilyKit's darkened frame were her eyes which sparkled as red as the fire behind her, giving her the appearance of a furious demon out of hell.

"WilyKit… I'm not here to fight you; all I want is to talk a little," Cheetara said, rising her hands in what she hoped was a pacifying gesture. The cheetah swallowed a little and approached Kit with slow steps. While it was true she did not wish to fight, the burning warehouses and the wounded man and young woman behind her had changed her expectations of this meeting. She still couldn't blame all of this destruction on WilyKit, and she really hoped she wouldn't have to. "Do you know who caused all this?"

The warrior maiden stared silently at Cheetara while she tried to decide on what to do about this development. She had never thought on what to do if Cheetara showed up, and was not sure if she should spare her or not. In the end, Kit decided to at least hear what she wanted to say, if only to amuse herself a little.

"Of course I know," she answered calmly and crossed her arms. "I did."

"But… we needed that medicine!" Cheetara exclaimed. "Do you know how many of our people will die without it? The medical packs and the antibiotics were essential for the survival of dozens of Thunderians! How could you do this?"

"Leave now Cheetara, I don't want to fight you," WilyKit warned then, interrupting the cheetah's accusations. Kit suspected her former partner would ask about her actions, but she hadn't imagined how much listening to Cheetara's preaching would bore her. Still, if she played a little with the older woman's feelings... perhaps this wouldn't be such a monumental waste of time and she might be able to teach Cheetara a lesson or two. "Take it as a favor I'm willing to do for you... mother."

"What… what did you call me?" Cheetara asked, still not believing the last word that had come out of Kit's lips. Had she really called her mother?

WilyKit's hard expression softened, her eyes lost that evil red glow and her shoulders slumped in defeat, she even trembled a little as if she were about to start crying. The young woman would not look at Cheetara, who was now so close to her she could embrace her if she wanted, and instead kept her gaze low. "Didn't you tell me you loved me like a daughter? Shouldn't I call you mother in return? Because I- I would like to call you that. But maybe you don't want me to... maybe you don't love me anymore?"

Despite herself, despite the destruction WilyKit had admitted causing and despite her own common sense, Cheetara melted then. She hadn't expected Kit would call her mother, and she had never imagined how much tenderness that one word would spark in her hearth.

"Kit… of course I still love you," Cheetara whispered, reaching for the young woman in front of her and pulling her into an embrace she hoped would comfort her and help her get rid of the darkness that had taken her. "You are very special for me, how could I not love you?"

WilyKit allowed Cheetara to hold her; she even wrapped her arms around the older woman and pressed her head into her chest, like she had done so many years ago as an ignorant cub. "But... I have caused you all so much pain following his orders... do you care about me even after what I did here?"

"Yes, I care even after what you've done here," Cheetara assured, completely lowering her guard as she focused on giving the young woman she held the warmth and care she had obviously lacked ever since Mumm-Ra took her. "This is not your fault, Kit. I know this isn't the real you… you have been lied to and manipulated into this… I know Mumm-Ra tricked you. But I can help you make everything right, if you just come with me, together we…"

"Cheetara?" WilyKit called then, once again interrupting Cheetara's words. "Can you call me daughter, please?"

"Of course, daughter," Cheetara said softly into Kit's ear, noticing how natural it seemed for her to call WilyKit like that, as if she had been waiting all her life for a chance to say that word.

"Thank you... mom," Kit replied in the same soft tone. "Can I tell you something?"

"Yes, what is it?" Cheetara inquired, a soft, content smile adorning her face. Right then, holding the girl that meant so much to her, the Cheetah was absolutely certain Kit would accept her help and would go with her to the shelter where she could receive the help, both physical and mental, she so much needed.

"I detest you!" WilyKit screamed; backhanding Cheetara so hard the cheetah fell unceremoniously on her side, holding her face in pain. WilyKit's eyes had ignited with an unholy red light again and she now stared at the fallen Thundercat with an expression of absolute rage.

"You say you love me? You say you want to help me?" Kit screamed angrily, crouching so that she was yelling straight into Cheetara's face. "Why didn't you help me all those years ago when Slithe carried me and Kat to the Black Pyramid? Why did you just stare while clinging to Panthro? Why didn't you fight for us back then? If you loved us why didn't you do anything?"

Cheetara felt a lump form in her throat as she listened to WilyKit's questions; this was something she had feared for years and even when she thought she had prepared the right answers, now that she listened to these accusations she found that explaining her actions from all those years ago without sounding cowardly and selfish was something she couldn't do. The cheetah felt a tear sliding down her face and lowered her eyes in shame; she could not answer WilyKit's questions.

"I'm sorry. We shouldn't have done that… I shouldn't have…"

"Shut up!" WilyKit interrupted, grabbing Cheetara by the neck of her leotard and forcing her to stand. "Do you think an apology will make it better? Do you think telling me all those lies about you loving me will make me go back to your side? Please, I know your true colors Cheetara, you don't love me, and you never did! The proof of that is how easily you discarded me and WilyKat."

"I do care for both of you! I'm sure that…"

"Stop lying!" Kit ordered. "Do you think I've forgotten what you said to my brother when he did the right thing and delivered you pathetic Thundercats to my master? You said he was worse than Grune and that you couldn't trust him! A loving mother would never say that!"

Cheetara tried to held WilyKit's gaze, but found that she couldn't, the girl's eyes were a pair of flaming red pits full of so much hate it actually hurt her to stare at them. She had refused to believe it before, but now that she was so close, now that she could see those eyes, the cheetah finally understood that WilyKit had turned completely; nothing was left of the innocent and cheerful girl she had cared so much for in the past. The worst of it all and what was tearing at her heart with infinite guilt was that she was directly responsible for this change; if she had done something back then, if she had stopped Slithe from taking the twins away from her, then all of this might never have happened.

"But you know what, Cheetara?" WilyKit said then, a mocking smile adorning her lips. "I think I should actually thank you for abandoning us. If you hadn't I wouldn't be what I am now, I wouldn't have learned the truth about you and the other Thundercats, and my beloved master wouldn't have shown me what the right order of things is."

"You are being deceived… Mumm-Ra doesn't love you and his way is not correct," Cheetara said then, struggling against the paralyzing guilt, trying one last time to reach for the small girl who she hoped still lived inside Kit's wounded heart. "Look around you, look at all this destruction. Is this the right order of things? Destroying people's hopes and dreams is not what a good person would do, and you are a good person WilyKit, under all that hate and resentment, I know you still understand that this is wrong."

WilyKit's smile vanished immediately at Cheetara's words and was instantly replaced by a deep scowl. "Wrong? The slaves are inferior creatures, they don't deserve to have hopes and dreams, they should be glad we are even giving them the chance to serve the master instead of wiping them out entirely! They exist to serve him, why is it wrong to remind them that?"

The cheetah couldn't answer; just as she was about to she felt a powerful impact on her midsection. Cheetara gasped for air, the blow had left her breathless and she could feel the taste of bile in her mouth. Looking down, she saw WilyKit's knee still on her stomach.

"You make me sick," Kit announced, pushing Cheetara away as if she were disgusted just by having her close. "I should kill you but instead I'll let you leave with the knowledge that all of this is your fault. Maybe someday you'll understand that what I'm doing is for the best and when you do, perhaps I'll let you live with us as a servant… and I might even get a Monkey-man from Plundarr just for you! I know how much you _love_ them, don't you like the idea?"

Cheetara felt a flare of fury invaded her at those words; just like last time, WilyKit alluding like that to what Monkian had done to her was enough to make her snap, overcoming even the guilt she felt. "Enough! I'm trying to help you and this is how you answer? How can you be so cruel?"

The only answer the cheetah got was a kick aimed at her face, but the hit, while close, didn't connect. The reason why was Cheetara's miraculous speed, which she had used to quickly move behind the misguided girl. The older woman, however, had to admit that the speed of WilyKit's kick had caught her by surprise. Not wanting to waste more time trying to reason with Kit here, where she wouldn't be able to talk some sense into her, Cheetara dashed forward in an attempt to push Kit into a house on the other side of the street, away from the burning warehouses, hoping that she would be able to find something to restrain her there.

Cheetara's plan, unfortunately, didn't work. WilyKit had anticipated Cheetara moving behind her, and was also expecting her to try an attack from that position using her superior speed. Knowing this, the warrior maiden smiled when Cheetara did just what she imagined she would. Timing her movements to those of the cheetah, WilyKit had no problem dodging the older woman at the last possible moment while at the same time delivering a successful attack of her own. When Cheetara screamed in pain and fell on her knees a few steps ahead, her hands desperately trying to stop the blood spurting from the side of her right thigh, Kit couldn't prevent a smirk from forming on her lips.

"I could've taken your leg, be glad I didn't cut you deeper," Kit said while looking at the sharp blades on her vambraces appreciatively. "I'm going now; it was depressing to be around you, Cheetara, and a complete waste of my time as well."

"I won't let you go!" the cheetah said weakly, using her staff to try to hit Kit from behind.

"Like I said, this is a waste of my time," Mumm-Ra's concubine said boredly, dodging the attack and grabbing the staff with her left hand. With a quick yank, she took the weapon away from Cheetara and with an even faster spin, she slammed the end of the yellow staff on the Cheetah's temple, finally knocking her out.

"If you bleed to death Cheetara, it will be your own damn fault!" stating this, WilyKit tossed the pole aside and looked up, intending to will her Space Board to approach when something on the corner of her eye caught her attention. Turning to the left, she saw the person she had been told not to fight under any circumstances was finally there: Lion-O.

The young King was welcomed to the warehouse block by a fiery inferno that was consuming three of the warehouses and was already expanding to other two, thick, black smoke was rising and the smell of burned wood and synthetic materials filled the air; he could see a burning truck out of what he knew had been warehouse four and to his left he found two fallen Thunderians on the ground, further down the ash covered street he saw Cheetara lying in the middle of a pool of blood and not too far from her another woman stood. The woman, who wore red and gold, was also looking at him and appeared to be annoyed at his arrival. Lion-O knew this woman quite well and while he had expected to find a group of monsters attacking the warehouses, he was not entirely surprised to find her here instead.

"WilyKit!" The king shouted, his fists clenching as he took in a deep breath; he would not allow his frustration and resentment at WilyKit's betrayal to cloud his judgment. Even if she was guilty of this destruction, she still had the right to stand in front of the Thundercat Council and receive a proper trial. "Don't move! You are under arrest!"

Kit frowned at the order shouted at her. Was he actually ordering her to stay where she was and also threatening her with arrest? Was he expecting her to obey him? How stupid could he be? The young woman turned around and ran away from where Cheetara was. She had to get away from here soon, otherwise she knew she wouldn't be able to stop herself and would end up fighting against Lion-O. She, however, did not get too far; some kind of wire wrapped around her arms and she felt herself being pulled back. Angry at this interruption, WilyKit looked behind her to find that Lion-O had used the claw-cable concealed in the Claw-shield to tie her up, and he was also trying to drag her to his side.

"You're not getting away!" Lion-O swore. "I'll make sure you answer for what happened here!"

"And who will I answer to?" Kit mocked. "Your precious Thundercat Council is lacking members, isn't it? Tygra and Panthro are probably dead and if they aren't, I bet they're in no condition to judge me; so who's going to decide my punishment, you?"

"You will be held in custody until the council is able to meet."

"Lion-O… shouldn't you take Cheetara and those other two maggots over there to the shelter for some medical attention?" WilyKit asked, realizing she could use the wounded Thunderians as leverage to escape. "I don't mind if they die, but I'm sure that you think differently, don't you, Lion-O? Hurry and save them! You can play judge, jury and executioner with me later."

For a brief instant, Lion-O's caring nature almost caused him to let WilyKit got so he could focus on saving his people. This however only lasted that, an instant. During his time in the Book of Omens Lion-O not only learned about fighting, he also learned that some sacrifices had to be made in order to achieve peace. And he also knew Cheetara, O-Celot and Aliona would not die if he was able to incapacitate WilyKit quickly. With this resolution in mind, the king pulled strongly, only to find that WilyKit hadn't moved at all.

"You shouldn't have done that," WilyKit said as she snapped the cable around her arms with seemingly no effort. "It angers me when idiots like you try to stop me from going where I want to."

Lion-O retracted what was left of the claw-cable into the finger of the Claw-shield and quickly strapped it to his leg. He was genuinely surprised, the claw-cable was extremely strong; even he would have trouble doing what WilyKit had just done. The king however, was a seasoned fighter now, and his surprise was not enough to faze him for long.

"You are not going back to Mumm-Ra's pyramid, WilyKit!" Lion-O promised as he drew his sword and commanded it to grow to its full size. "Now give up and come with me peacefully or face the consequences!"

"I'm not supposed to fight you," Kit said angrily, forcing her temper down before she ended up jumping at Lion-O to rip him to shreds. "But I will if you keep standing in my way!"

A quick glance at the growing pool of blood Cheetara laid on convinced Lion-O he couldn't waste more time and, steeling his resolve, he charged at WilyKit with the intention of using a short range blast from the Sword of Omens to temporarily paralyze the former Thundercat. His plan almost worked; he did shoot the blast when he was merely two steps away from Kit, but the blast missed its target entirely, hitting a building on the other side of the street.

WilyKit, who was expecting Lion-O to try to capture her, simply stepped to the side at the last moment to dodge the king's predictable attack. She was already angry at him trying to arrest her, but this ridiculous move had reminded her of the first time he had pointed the Sword of Omens at her, back when she had punished the laughing slaves who had thrown rotten fruit at her even when she had done nothing at all!

"How dare you!" She shouted, slamming her fist in Lion-O's side, taking advantage of the King's slow recovery time. "I'm going to put you in your place!"

Lion-O reeled back a step and pressed his hand to his side. The king cursed himself for not taking her seriously from the beginning; WilyKit's punch had hurt him much more than he had expected. It surprised him, Kit had never exhibited such power before and members of the wildcat clan were not known for their physical strength, so why was she suddenly so strong?

A flash of gold suddenly interrupted the young ruler's thoughts, forcing him to quickly dodge a set of sharp blades attached to the vambraces WilyKit wore; he continued dodging several slashes aimed either at his neck or midsection, the attacks coming so quickly that he couldn't find an opening to counterattack. This was also new to him; WilyKit had never been as good a fighter as this, she was actually pushing him back to the fiery hells that were the warehouses behind him!

"Enough!" Lion-O yelled, taking advantage of a low attack by WilyKit to finally counter with a descending swing of his sword. The King was not aiming to cut her, just to hit her with the blunt side of his weapon and knock her out. He was sure she wouldn't be able to dodge an attack at such short range, and he was right: she didn't dodge it, she blocked it. Somehow, WilyKit had moved fast enough to raise both arms in time to stop the blow with her armored vambraces and had also managed to capture the sword between the blades extending from them.

"Stop holding back!" WilyKit demanded with a growl, increasing the pressure she exerted on the Sword of Omens to keep Lion-O from releasing the sword. She was not only angry at him but also insulted; he was supposed to be the best fighter among the Thundercats and now that she had disobeyed the master's orders by fighting him, she at least wanted to see his full skill before she had to face Mumm-Ra's punishment, and he was not using it! "I've seen you fight and you're better than this, don't mock me!

"Or perhaps you want me to break your sword?" Kit threatened. She knew she was far stronger than Tug Mug now, so it should be fairly easy for her. Intending to prove her point, and to gain some leverage with Mumm-Ra when she returned to the Black Pyramid by stating how she had broken the Sword of Omens, Kit tried then to move her forearms so she could use the blades of her vambraces as levers to break the sword with. She, however, was not counting on what Lion-O did as soon as she tried to break the Thundercat's holy sword.

Lion-O's mind had hatched a plan as soon as Kit had caught the blade, and he was sure it would be enough to put this useless fight to an end; so keeping silent, the young king let Kit talk and get confident, waiting for the precise moment to make his move. He wasn't expecting her to try to break the sword, but it distracted her enough so he could command the Sword of Omens to unleash a wave of its power through the blade and into the former Thundercat's body. The sword, however, released far more power than what Lion-O had intended, resulting into Kit being violently blasted to the other side of the street, crashing against an abandoned house, its side wall collapsing on top of her. The young king looked at the sword with a surprised expression in his face then; he knew well the sword was sentient, but going by its reaction, it seemed it was not willing to brook with WilyKit's threats at all. Or that it had sensed something incredibly evil was controlling her and had attempted to erase it.

WilyKit was in pain. She still was under the rubble, but knew she hadn't gotten hurt by the wall falling on top of her; it had been whatever the sword had done that was making her arms hurt like hell. And this angered her to no end. Not only towards Lion-O, whom she was now planning to dismember slowly for being such a damned pest, but also against that cursed sword, which she now wanted to see broken into a thousand pieces. Fueled by her anger, the young warrior stood, the debris covering her doing little to stop her. Once standing, Kit looked at her arms and understood why they were hurting so much: her vambraces had shattered and pieces of metal had dug into her flesh. Her arms however, were not bleeding; not blood, at least. Instead, several tendrils of a thick black liquid seeped from the wounds and wrapped around the metal protruding from her flesh until they tore them out, the deep cuts on her arms were then almost immediately mended by the obscure fluid as it retreated back inside WilyKit's body. The young woman had watched this process in awe, realizing then that her body was truly immortal. The pain she experienced while healing was almost gone as well and the joy she felt at the discovery of this new ability which her immortality had granted her made the pain entirely secondary.

Her delight was short-lived, though, as another blast of energy hit her and forced her to double over in excruciating pain. She somehow managed to look up and saw that the energy came from the Eye of Thundera which Lion-O was using to attack her. Moving, however, only caused the pain to increase, paralyzing her limbs. Kit didn't know what Lion-O was doing, but this energy he was attacking her with made her feel so nauseous it was as if her innards wanted to crawl out from her mouth.

WilyKit could see how the wounds in her arms were opening again while the same black substance inside her struggled to heal them with little to no success. The pain was also getting worse, and she knew she would faint soon if she didn't do something about it. Forcing herself to think of a solution the warrior maiden decided to try tricking Lion-O into dropping his guard; she had already deceived Cheetara so it was well worth a try and besides, she had the perfect piece of information to achieve what she wanted. All she had to do was to play the part of damsel in distress, something that would humiliate her to no end, but also something she could get revenge for later and she would be able to escape. Summoning her Space Board so it hovered in hiding amidst the black smoke coming out of the fire, WilyKit prepared to put her plan in motion.

Lion-O was taken by surprise by WilyKit standing from under the debris as he imagined her to be unconscious; his surprise grew as he saw the strange black liquid mending her damaged arms but that didn't prepare him for what the Sword of Omens did then. The Eye of Thundera roared, forced his hands forward and shot a beam of white light at WilyKit which was now on her knees and somehow paralyzed by it. It had been a long time since the Sword had taken action by itself like this and Lion-O was finding it difficult to keep the sword in his grasp, as it seemed it wanted to burn whatever it was inside WilyKit into ashes.

It was then he heard her sob. Confused, Lion-O stared at Kit's face and found her eyes and expression where those of fear and innocence he remembered seeing in her back on Third Earth anytime she was in trouble. Had the sword destroyed the evil inside her at last?

"W-where am I?" WilyKit cried then, tears sliding down her face as she struggled in vain to lift a hand in a pleading gesture. "Why are you attacking me Lion-O? What have I d-done to deserve this?"

The young king gasped in surprise at Kit's words, could it be that she had been under a spell and didn't remember what had happened after Mumm-Ra conquered Thundera? If that was the case, then the eye had finally released her from the evil wizard's control! His heart full of hope, Lion-O tried to force the sword to stop, but it would not obey him.

"Why am I o-older?" WilyKit continued quickly, her voice now trembling and confused. "D-did you make me older so I could m-marry you?"

Despite himself and the present situation, Lion-O could not help but have his concentration completely shatter at WilyKit's declaration. The Eye of Thundera, however, did not falter like its master had and continued keeping Kit in place, even if the power it was using to hold her had actually decreased a little due to its owner's lack of focus.

"I'm supposed to be y-your wife, your queen! I've always been!" Kit said intensely and finding that moving was a little bit easier now, she continued begging for her release. "Please Lion-O let me go! I-I'm hurting so much! I'll marry you right now if you want me to but please stop this! Lion-O, you're killing me!"

WilyKit's cries of suffering, the pain in her now innocent features and this shocking revelation were enough to convince Lion-O to let her go. With a growl, the young king forced his will into his weapon, the Sword of Omens stopping its attack on WilyKit in a way that to the Lion seemed quite reluctant, as if the sword was not convinced of Kit's words. Lion-O ignored this, as he was certain the young woman kneeling in front of him had finally been released from a fate worse than death.

"Kit, is it really you again? Is Mumm-Ra's spell gone?" The king asked worriedly, lowering his sword as he approached her, hoping she was well enough to help him carry the wounded back to the shelter. The marriage engagement between them that she spoke about, however, he preferred to discuss later, once all of this had calmed down.

"I wasn't under a spell, you stupid buffoon... I've always been me!" WilyKit answered in a low voice as she slowly got up. "…Just as you've always been a big idiot who's so easy to trick!"

Lion-O didn't have time to react to these words, as something solid hit him from behind so hard he dropped the Sword of Omens and was thrown several steps away from WilyKit; quickly jumping back to his feet, the young king understood what had happened. He'd been hit by a Space Board, and WilyKit now stood on said vehicle, staring back at him with a burning hatred in her eyes.

"I will kill you next time we meet if Mumm-Ra allows it," WilyKit swore and before Lion-O could do anything to stop her, she disappeared into the thick black smoke covering the sky above the burning warehouses.

The young King ran a hand over his tired features and reached for the small, portable radio Pummyra gave him after he'd dropped Tygra and Panthro at the Shelter. Taking in a deep breath to steel himself and avoiding sounding as defeated as he felt, Lion-O called the shelter for help; minutes later, just as he'd finished bandaging Cheetara's wounded leg, the sound of engines was heard, signaling the arrival of not only a medical van, but also a truck full of volunteers ready to fight the fire, even if by then only two or three warehouses would be saved.

Back at the Black Pyramid…

WilyKit reached the Pyramid in a matter of minutes, and once inside she headed immediately to the Cauldron room. As she expected, her master was there, standing in front of the bubbling waters. Her brother was also there, but he stood in the middle of the room, closer to her than Mumm-Ra was. The warrior maiden lowered her head in shame, swallowed her anger and walked to stand next to her twin, dropping on one knee once she was there.

"My lord, I have failed you today," she announced, her voice full of so much shame that even WilyKat wondered if his sister was about to start crying.

"Have you?" The mummy asked. Mumm-Ra walked to his kitten and stood in front of her. "I did not assign you any task today."

Kit lowered her face to hide her embarrassment, and was glad her twin had chosen to remain silent; the last thing she needed on top of the humiliation of standing before her lord in shame was her brother's pity. "I went by myself to the Capital. I fought Lion-O against your wishes and was… defeated by that cursed sword!"

WilyKit was surprised then when she felt the cold, rough palm of Mumm-Ra's hand caressing her face. Her master's touch made her feel good, relaxed and at peace, momentarily helping her forget about her defeat. After taking a deep breath, Kit risked looking up at him only to find the evil wizard was actually smiling down at her.

"You didn't fail, my dear," the mummy said softly as he retrieved his hand and returned to his place near his sarcophagus. "You managed to destroy the medical supplies the Thundercats needed so much, you incapacitated Cheetara, the only other Thundercat who was in any condition to help Lion-O fight us and even if that pathetic excuse of a king defeated you, he did it only because of the Sword of Omens, nothing more. Now rise, you have no reason to feel shame."

Reassured by the words of her master, WilyKit obeyed and stood, waiting until Mumm-Ra looked back at her. Once he did so, she spoke again, her voice was cold, but once again her brother could tell she was furious at something she had on her mind. "I was forced to humiliate myself in front of him! I want to make him squirm for that!"

"You cannot do that as you are now. As powerful as you've become, the Eye of Thundera will try to destroy the dark power inside you as soon as you stand again in front of Lion-O," Mumm-Ra explained while showing his concubine the Sword of Plundarr. "If you want to fight the lord of the Thundercats you will need to possess a magical weapon."

"Then give me one!" Kit pleaded. "You let Grune use your sword once, why don't you let me use it too?"

"I can do something even better!" the wizard offered. "I can give you the chance to gain a weapon of your own; a sword with a power that rivals that of your brother's scythe and even my own sword and the Sword of Omens. Would you take this chance, my dear, even if it is incredibly dangerous?"

The warrior maiden smiled evilly at the prospect of having a weapon strong enough to crush Lion-O. "You know I will, my lord. Tell me what I need to do and I'll have it done as quickly as possible."

"I expected no less from you; let's get you ready then," the evil wizard said with a pleased grin. Mumm-Ra lifted his hand after stating this and almost immediately a pair of Flesh Puppets entered the Cauldron room, both carrying white clothes they asked WilyKit to wear. When the dead slaves finished dressing her, Kit was wearing a thick cape made of Ice Trog fur, as well as gloves and boots of the same material.

"Why these clothes?" She asked while looking at her new attire.

"You will need them where you're going," Mumm-Ra explained while he waved his hands over the Cauldron's waters, revealing an image of a land covered with ice and snow. "The power you want is there, in the frozen regions of Water-O." Saying this, the mummy raised his left hand and opened a portal of light in front of them. "Enter the vortex, find the Ice guardian and get Water-O's mighty sword, the Dragon Fang, from her. But you must be quick my dear, this portal will remain open for only two days, no more. Make sure you are back before then."

"I'll be back before a day has passed," Kit assured and saying no more, she stepped into the portal, leaving the Black Pyramid as she traveled to another world.

"Will she be alright?" WilyKat asked once his sister had gone.

"If there is someone who can get the Dragon Fang, that person is your sister," Mumm-Ra answered. "She will not fail this test, I'm sure."

"But two days, master? Won't the Thundercats attack us before that?"

The evil wizard laughed as he heard his apprentice's questions. "My son, what Thundercats are left to attack us? All of them but Lion-O are injured now, they lack the medicine they need to cure their wounded and they don't have energy to power their city! That sorry excuse of a king will not dare leave the scared Thunderians under the current circumstances! Trust me, my young apprentice; Lion-O will not try anything against us for at least four days!"

WilyKat crossed his arms and considered his master's words. He had to admit Mumm-Ra had a point; Lion-O would be much more pressed now to fix everything in the capital before even thinking of setting foot outside of it. Still, keeping an eye on him wouldn't hurt, that much he was sure of. Nodding at himself, the wizard in training walked to his teacher's side.

"You are right, master. But I would feel more at ease if we keep our guard, just to prevent any unpleasant surprises from happening. We could even send Flesh Puppets to spy on them."

The mummy glanced at his apprentice and agreed with a quick nod. "We can observe them from here; but if you really want to send a spy, you'll have to revive _her_. She's the only of our undead women capable of such a complex task."

"Are you talking about... _her_? I thought she had been destroyed!" WilyKat said, a strong emotion surging in his voice. "Is Calico's body really here?"

"I thought some day you would like to try to bring her back on your own, my son," The evil wizard said. "She rests in a sealed chamber behind the Throne room. Go see her, if you need any advice, I'll be glad to assist you."

WilyKat bowed deeply and after thanking his master again, rushed to the Throne room. Mumm-Ra watched the boy go with a triumphant grin. He had, of course, saved the corpse of his apprentice's favorite doll, not as a favor to the boy but as a means to control him; but now that the twins' souls were bound to his however, the mummy saw no reason to keep that undead girl hidden anymore and besides, his student did deserve a toy of his own.

"And that woman, if he actually manages to revive her, does have some useful skills," Mumm-Ra admitted as he turned his attention to the Cauldron, intending on seeing the full extent of the damage WilyKit had caused in the capital.

To be continued...

Notes:

Special thanks to Adam for beta reading this chapter and all the support he offered while I was writing it; without his assistance, this episode wouldn't even be finished yet.

Mumm-Ra allowed Grune to use the Sword of Plundarr in issue 5 of the "Reclaiming Thundera" miniseries published by Wildstorm comics.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Thundercats and all related character don't belong to me.

Embracing dark desires.

By

Dr Facer

Chapter 11

-0-

The Seventh Dimension was a vast, empty space created by the magic of the Eternal Sphinx, it existed between several realities making escaping it a near impossible task, which had driven all but one of the few unfortunate enough to be trapped there to quickly fall into insanity. The one captive who had not yet succumbed to madness was a powerful, ancient wizard from a planet named Third Earth, a sworn enemy of the forces of evil and a one time ally to the Thundercats.

This man is none other than Wizz-Ra, who has spent his last few years inside this void observing the trials and tribulations of Lion-O and his people, paying special interest to a certain Thundercat with golden, black spotted hair. The sorcerer had been very attracted to Cheetara the last time he was allowed out of his mystical prison, but he had been realistic enough to understand there would be no way she could be with him. Wizz-Ra had instead chosen to observe her and her friends, though later developments taking place in the Thundercat's new planet had him extremely concerned.

The abrupt increase of darkness on New Thundera was unlike anything he had witnessed before. The influence of evil on that world had expanded like a shroud of blackness that covered everything but a small flicker of light. If he could feel it even here in the Seventh Dimension, it meant only that Mumm-Ra and his foul masters had grown beyond even the Ancient Spirits of Light he had served in the past.

"I wonder if Mumm-Rana senses this too and is planning to do something," Wizz-Ra wondered.

"Her influence is limited to guarding Third Earth," four voices replied to his thoughts. "You know goodness cannot be enforced, only protected."

The wizard stood up immediately as he recognised the presence of four powerful entities surrounding him. Then, as if to answer this, a quartet of warm, white lights took benevolent, calm-inducing shapes around him; the Ancient Spirits of Goodness had come to visit him.

"Ancient ones!" Wizz-Ra all but screamed. He had not heard from the Spirits of Goodness since before he had been trapped here. "Have you finally come to help your faithful servant?"

"Indeed, old friend; we are here to grant you your freedom," the spirits replied with a warm voice.

"The moment we have preserved you for is approaching," the first spirit said.

"Your chance to complete your destiny is almost at hand," a second affirmed.

"Which is the reason why we have granted you protection against the maddening forces of chaos that plague this cursed dimension," the third spirit said.

"Will you take our offer, Wizz-Ra?" the fourth and final entity asked.

"Yes!" the wizard answered. "And I will fulfil the destiny you have planned for me, my Lords. I swear!"

-0-

When he entered the hidden chamber behind his master's Throne Room WilyKat had fully expected to find a decaying corpse rotting inside an equally ruined coffin and was incredibly surprised to find her perfectly preserved inside a crystal sarcophagus that rested on a stone pedestal. The young wizard walked slowly until he stood besides the coffin, and spent a few seconds admiring the young woman inside it, welcoming the warmth just looking at her brought him.

It had been two years since the last time he'd seen her, and it amazed him how she still looked exactly the same; her full lips remained as inviting as he remembered them, and the white triangular mark adorning her chin was as eye-catching as he recalled; her hair was still as shiny as the last time he'd seen the nocturnal wind caressing it, and her nakedness showed him that not only had her body healed from whatever wounds it had suffered, but that it was still as fit and as lustful as he recalled.

Kat ran his fingers through her black, soft hair, smiling as he reached one of the many orange spots adorning her dark mane. "My Calico; I will bring you back, and this time no one will take you away from me."

Taking a deep breath, the young apprentice lifted his palms and started chanting the reanimation spell needed to give life back to the Flesh Puppets; he had studied it before, and he was confident his magic was strong enough now to resurrect the dead girl in front of him.

Mystical energies started filling the small room and gathered between Kat's hands, forming a glowing orb of orange light which he slowly, and without breaking his chant, lowered until it had been fully absorbed by the inanimate corpse. A final flash of light signaled the successful casting of the spell and WilyKat took a step back, waiting for his woman to return to the land of the living again.

But nothing happened. Even though the spell had been properly performed, and the magic that should have given her the energy to rise from the death had been absorbed by her body, Calico was still not breathing, and no trace of movement could be detected.

Believing the power he had infused the body with had not been enough, Kat performed the ritual again, and again the result was the same. Calico would not move.

"Am I doing something wrong?" WilyKat wondered worriedly; he knew he couldn't cast the reanimation spell again; doing so could burn her to cinders, a risk he was not willing to take.

Frustrated, the young wizard sat in front of the coffin, leaning on the wall, as he thought about a solution to the problem. Was he supposed to admit he couldn't bring her back? He refused to believe so. After gaining immortality and a massive power boost from the Snakes of Eternity his magic had increased immensely; surely a simple reanimation spell could not be beyond his grasp!

Forcing himself to calm down, the anxious young man took in a deep breath and relaxed as best as he could, trying to find a way to make his spell work. As he meditated, his thoughts drifted back, and expecting to find a clue to fix this problem he recalled his story with Calico until she was killed by those cursed space pirates…

_WilyKat stood in silence on the inner balcony that overlooked the Great Temple's dimly lit inner gardens. Behind him a banquet was taking place, one that Mumm-Ra was offering to the representatives from planet Hazyel he had just finished having a meeting with not even fifteen minutes before._

_Kat had been present during the reunion, as Mumm-Ra had made it clear he had to be there so he could start learning the proper ways of diplomacy. The young man had been disinterested at first, agreeing to be there simply to keep his sister safe from punishment, but as the meeting went on, WilyKat started to pay more and more attention to what was being said, as he found the way his master weaved a clever web of deceit around those fat, purple skinned politicians something very interesting, inspiring and he had to admit educational. _

_Kat had been impressed by how Mumm-Ra, who had chosen the guise of a middle aged man for this particular meeting, used careful subtlety and cunning in order to manipulate the visiting dignitaries until they signed a trading agreement that would be far more beneficial to him than to them; and so now, after seeing the dark wizard during a negotiation, WilyKat had to accept he wanted to learn more so he could be as effective a negotiator as the mummy had been. The young man nodded to himself, he would have to ask his master to allow him to accompany him to more of these meetings in the future, as mastering this skill could certainly be useful._

_His choice made, WilyKat turned and considered going back to the dinning hall, but quickly changed his mind. He didn't have a seat, and Mumm-Ra would probably be upset if he entered the room uninvited. The problem was that unlike his master, who didn't have to eat, but could, WilyKat did require nourishment, and he was currently starving._

_It was then that he noticed two maids walking out of the dinning hall, one of them pushed a cart with empty plates, while the other carried an elegant silver platter, which Kat recognized as the one Mumm-Ra had waiting for him on his seat. The food was untouched, which meant his master had gotten away not eating in front of the guests. It also meant that he could have something to eat without leaving his post._

"_Can you please wait for a second?" WilyKat called. The girls stopped and waited until he was close enough. "I noticed that plate still has food. Lord Mumm-Ra didn't eat, did he?"_

"_No, the corpse didn't even touch the food, unsurprisingly," one of the maids, a pretty jaguar clan girl replied quickly, she tried her best to sound polite, but couldn't completely hide the harshness in her voice. "Why?"_

_WilyKat felt the need to remind the girl of the proper way to call Mumm-Ra, but he decided she wasn't hurting anyone and let it go. "I'm kind of hungry, and I thought you wouldn't mind letting me have his food. It's best than throwing it away, don't you think?"_

"_If you want it, take it," the jaguar girl said with a smile as she offered the plate. "Eat it all."_

"_Wait, don't eat it!" the other maid interjected, keeping her voice low. This one was a member of the Wildcat clan, roughly the same age as WilyKat. "It's poisoned!"_

"_I see…" WilyKat, who had been about to grab the plate, said as he returned it. "Why did you want me to eat this? I haven't done anything to you."_

_The jaguar maid smirked. "It would have been a fitting end for a turncoat like you."_

"_Please excuse my friend's rudeness, lord WilyKat," the Wildcat maid pleaded, standing in front of her friend. "Mumm-Ra was her target, not you… please forgive her for trying to do something like this, she…"_

"_I'll let it pass this time, but I think it's best if you leave now," Kat interrupted her while staring at the maid with a serious expression on his face. _

_Gratitude evident in the face of the Wildcat maid, she bowed and grabbed her companion as she quickly dragged her away from there._

"_Who cares that he's a noble of your clan? You should have let him eat the food!" the jaguar maid declared viciously as they departed, not caring that WilyKat could still hear them. _

_When the two maids turned around the corner, WilyKat finally leaned on a column and lowered his head in disappointment. This was not the first time he had heard women like them talk about him in such manner. Every girl he had tried to approach had rejected him and some of them had even told him to his face how much they hated him and that he was a traitor, so he was already used to this. _

_Being accustomed to this type of rejection, however, did not mean he liked it, or that he enjoyed being alone. _

"_I just wish I could meet someone who understands…" WilyKat sighed, hating the way his loneliness made him feel. He knew it wasn't his fault those women were ignorant stupid, so he could not blame them for acting like they did. All he could hope now was that perhaps, some day he would meet a girl smart enough to understand his situation. He could wait until then._

_Focusing on his watch duty, Kat managed to forget about the event with the maids, and instead pondered the possibility of telling Mumm-Ra who had poisoned his food. He discarded the idea, of course, as he would win nothing by doing so. It was then that a hint of movement on the dark gardens caught his eye, and he stood really still, paying close attention to it._

_The Jackals Mumm-Ra had brought to act as guardians were not patrolling the inner garden, so it could not be any of them, as they were all busy watching the main entrance or the roofs. The rebels couldn't be behind it, either; Bengali had been gone for months and he knew from his sister that Pummyra was trapped in an eternal sleep inside a mountain somewhere north, so there was no rebel leader out there capable of organizing anything so complex as an attack on the Temple._

_So what, or rather who, was down there?_

_The large bushes full of black lotus flowers on the corner of the garden moved again, and this time a flash of something glittered under the moonlight. There was someone hiding in the garden, Kat was sure of it. And for the looks of it, whoever it was planned to strike from there as soon as their target climbed down the stairs. WilyKat decided not to chance it, so he walked to a nearby pillar and pulled a lever hidden behind a crimson banner of the Twin Snakes of Eternity. It was a silent alarm Vultureman had installed, and would alert the Jackals about trouble in the inner garden._

_WilyKat spared a glance behind him, and found that Mumm-Ra was already standing by the door, motioning for him to approach._

"_I felt some pests have entered my gardens, boy," the wizard whispered on WilyKat's ear. "Good job on activating the alarm; it gave me time to place a spell so the scandal below doesn't get to our guests' ears, but do make sure the jackals capture whoever is down there. Don't let them kill anyone; I really want to interrogate the people who were stupid enough to try this. And don't forget, if you don't do this well… your sister will have to pay for it. Is it clear?"_

_WilyKat nodded. "Yes, my Lord. It is clear."_

"_Good. Now go there and do what I asked you," saying no more, the wizard turned back and returned to the table, where he pretended to be extremely interested in the conversation there._

_His sister's wellbeing at the front of his mind, Kat rushed to the edge of the balcony and jumped down to the garden, joining Jackalman and seven of his men who had already arrived. To WilyKat's surprise, the arrival of the canines had caused seven cloaked Thunderians to jump out of the bushes; their weapons held high and ready to fight. Without any warning, the rebels did just that, jumping at the Jackals in a mad attempt at escaping. WilyKat carefully stepped aside; he still had some regrets for what he had done to Bengali, and did not want to get involved in the fight unless it was unavoidable. _

_The rebels' attack was quickly crushed though, and WilyKat forced himself not to look away as Jackalman and his men swiftly restrained the Thunderians; breaking legs, arms and ribs as they incapacitated all the rebels with as much brutality as possible._

_All the rebels except for one; one who had managed to dance around the jackal soldiers and had even managed to wound two of them with a pair of kidney daggers she wielded with great skill. WilyKat noticed that this mysterious person was actually a woman, and observed with great interest the way she moved. When the Jackalmen finally managed to circle her, the woman in black clothes sheathed her knives and quickly jumped back, doing then something that Kat found quite impressive: she threw aside her cloak mid-jump and by the time she landed a few steps away, she was holding a triple crossbow at the ready._

"_She's using the weapons of the Hunters guild," Kat murmured. "And she's skilled with them."_

_The female took quick aim and let three arrows fly; unlike what WilyKat had expected, she had aimed them at him and not at the Jackal soldiers. Kat, with reflexes and speed born both from his years training as a Thundercat and under the watchful eye of his evil master reacted immediately and quickly rolled to the side, easily dodging the arrows. _

_The woman, obviously not expecting Kat would be able to dodge her attack at such a close distance, was distracted long enough to be tackled down by Jackalman himself, who knocked her out with a savage punch to the jaw before she could try to do anything else._

"_I'm going to kill her!" Jackalman swore as he reached for his axe._

"_No! She and the others will be taken to the Pyramid. Mumm-Ra said he wanted to question them," WilyKat interrupted and stared firmly at Jackalman, who grudgingly tossed the unconscious girl to one of his men. Kat waited a moment more, to make was sure Jackalman wouldn't murder the woman the moment he turned his head; after that, he headed back to the Dinning Hall, easily ignoring the curses the rebels __threw__ at him._

_Mumm-Ra was already waiting for him in the upper corridor, and started asking questions about the captured rebels as soon as he got to his side. The wizard showed great interest on the 'Hunter guild' the moment WilyKat mentioned it, and immediately demanded more information about it, to which Kat responded by mentioning the abilities of that guild's members as spies and silent assassins, abilities the Kings of Old Thundera had sometimes relied on. His curiosity sated, Mumm-Ra gave a nod to Kat and congratulated him for a job well done; after that, the mummy returned to where the Hazyel diplomats waited._

_Hours later… _

_WilyKat had found it impossible to stop thinking about the mysterious hunter girl, mostly because he could not comprehend why she had attacked him, so once he and Mumm-Ra had returned to the Pyramid, he made his way to the interrogation rooms where they had questioned her. She was no longer there, but he got the report on what the mutants had managed to find out about her and was eagerly reading it: She had initially only revealed her name, age and clan, but after experiencing the horror of Slithe's Warp gas she ended up confessing where the last remnants of Pummyra's failed rebel group where hiding and, while the mutants were overjoyed to have the location, Kat had been more interested in her personal information._

"_So, her name is Calico," He murmured; he already knew by her looks that she was from the Stray clan and that she had been trained by members of the hunter guild thanks to the weapons she used, but was surprised to learn she was almost three years older than him, as at first glance he had believed her to be actually younger._

"_You seem to be very interested in that woman," WilyKit accused as she sat next to her twin and spied at what he was reading. "Why is a member of that nomad clan so interesting?"_

"_The Stray clan is an offshoot of our own," Kat answered. "It might be interesting to talk to her."_

"_Well, don't get too attached to that rebel," his sister advised. "We won't see her again once the master decides what to do with her… if she's incredibly lucky she might end up working at the farms, but…"_

"_She probably won't," WilyKat interrupted. "Don't worry Kit; I'm curious, not a fool."_

"_I didn't say you were, my dear brother," she said softly, kissing her twin on the cheek. "I wish I could stay with you, Kat. But you know I have an assignment for today and I better do it well."_

"_I wish you could stay, too. But we can't risk Mumm-Ra getting angry at us, sister," WilyKat agreed with a sigh. "Good luck with the Narciss Queen, I understand she's very… special."_

"_Yes, she is. At least she does like me; it makes entertaining her easier," Kit admitted. "I'll try to be back as soon as possible."_

_Kat nodded and waited for his sister to leave; unlike other times when she had been sent on a mission, WilyKat was not truly worried about her then; his twin had proved quite capable at pretending to be the queen of the planet, and he knew the Narciss sovereigns were very fond of her, which guaranteed she would have it easy. Feeling calm as he knew WilyKit wouldn't be in danger, Kat's thoughts drifted back to the attractive hunter once again and he finally decided a visit to satisfy his curiosity would be necessary. _

_The Black Pyramid cells were small cubicles carved on black stone and were located quite close to Mumm-Ra's underground arena. These cells, in Kat's opinion, were the darkest, coldest and positively most claustrophobic holes he had ever seen; he'd spent days locked in one of them years ago when he talked back to Mumm-Ra so he knew how terrible being a prisoner here was. Kat shrugged off the memory and continued walking; he found the cell where she was kept at quickly and he was not surprised of the state he found her in._

_She was curled into a ball and had pressed herself against the far wall of the cell; she was trembling and in obvious pain. He stood motionless for a moment, wondering what he should say._

"_Hello… how are you feeling?" he finally asked._

"_Go die in a swamp, traitor!" she shot back, her voice pained, but filled with burning anger. _

"_I am not a traitor," Kat replied, struggling to remain calm. Her calling him traitor had almost sparked a bout of anger, but he had managed to keep his temper under control. "I just thought that maybe you would like someone to talk to; I know solitary confinement down here can be quite… disturbing."_

_She didn't reply and instead turned her back to him. Kat stood there for a long while, asking questions she never answered. Eventually, the young man gave up and went back to his chambers._

_But he did return the following day._

"_I believe you would like to clean up," Kat said, leaving a bucket full of clean water and a sponge near enough to the bars of her cell. "I've also brought you some medicine, and I do suggest you take it unless you want to risk an infection." _

"_You brought me medicine? I bet it's just poison," She hissed, still sitting facing the wall, not letting him see her face. "And I'm not letting a disgusting pervert like you see me bathe. It's already bad enough your mutant friends took my clothes when they tortured me."_

"_Heh… I guess a brave member of the hunter guild like you can deal with being covered in sweat, dry blood and dirt," Kat mocked. He couldn't help but smirk a little, she was still being hostile, but she was at least talking to him._

_Her response to his remark was a string of insults that would have made a drunk mutant proud and Kat simply laughed at it. He then tried to start a conversation, but was again unsuccessful, so he let her be. He returned later that night and found her sleeping. Unsurprisingly, she had cleaned up and had taken the bundle of medicine he had left for her. WilyKat smiled, perhaps he could get pass her stubborn nature after all._

"_Why are you doing this?" she asked him suddenly one day. "Not bringing me medicine and food and water, no… I want to know why, why are you helping Mumm-Ra? You are a Thundercat; you should be fighting for us!"_

"_The Thundercats are no more, Calico," Kat responded. She had started to talk to him sparingly after the fifth day, and while she had not talked about herself, she had criticized the mutants with him, and had even smirked when he had compared Slithe to a fat frog. This question, though, was a difficult one to answer in a way that wouldn't get her mad at him, something he wanted to avoid at all costs. "We… they did fight, as hard as they could. But it was not enough. And you must admit things are better now."_

"_Better! Are you insane?" she screamed in a fit of rage. "Mumm-Ra has turned us into disposable slaves he uses as he sees fit, Mutant warriors treat us like trash everyday, hundreds of our people are dying of Thundranium poisoning on the mines, we get executed if we dare to even look a Mutant in the eye, our life is HELL!"_

"_No, it isn't!" Kat argued. "If you behave your life will be good enough! Look at the farmers, they are even allowed a salary! And what about the merchants who trade in the Capital? As long as they pay their share to Lord Mumm-Ra, no one will bother them! The mines are bad, granted, but only those who deserve it are sent there!"_

"_You can't understand how much our people are suffering, can you?" she asked, piercing him with a cold stare. "It doesn't surprise me."_

"_It is you who don't understand," he retorted. "Mumm-Ra has given us order! Because of him we have a thriving civilization, ready to achieve its full potential!"_

"_You must be a fool if you swallow Mumm-Ra's lies like that."_

"_Realizing what is best for our world does not make me a fool, Calico."_

"_No, it just makes you blind, WilyKat. Have you forgotten the Code of Thundera?"_

"_That Code doesn't work anymore, and it never did," Kat answered. "What good is the Code if the other Thundercats broke it when Mumm-Ra defeated them?" _

"_They wouldn't do that, and you know it!" the hunter shot back. "It isn't their fault you are so weak minded that you believe anything that blue corpse says!"_

_WilyKat stared at her, anger swelling inside him, he was used to be confronted like this, but he found her accusations incredibly irritating. Not feeling like listening to Calico's inane preaching anymore, Kat stood up and walked out of the cell ward._

_Despite their disagreement, Kat had continued visiting her, and making sure to keep their exchanges away from topics he found uncomfortable to talk about, he was finally able to find a balance that allowed him to carry long conversations with her. This continuous contact, however, slowly turned WilyKat's interest on Calico, which had been at first just that of having someone other than his sister to talk to, towards something deeper and stronger. As the days went by, Kat started to admire the girl's fiery personality and sharp mind, and he also noticed her finely tuned figure and the pretty features of her face more and more, even her voice started to sound nicer and inviting. His attraction for her grew to the point where he started to wonder if, eventually, she would actually accept him as more than a friend on her own free will._

"_Old Thundera blowing up was the end for the Hunters Guild, you know? The earthquakes destroyed all the hunting grounds we worked on," Calico remembered one day, after WilyKat asked her what her life had been like on their old planet. "The Guild was made from Thunderians of all clans, but we Stray were the predominant one. We had devoted to the hunt for generations! It was only natural that we led it."_

"_Did all of you escape Old Thundera?"_

"_Most of us did, we ended up in a planet called Roustious; not a bad place, really; it had plenty of forests full of big quadruped animals we could hunt. I actually finished my early training there, like I said, not a bad place for a young hunter girl to live, I actually regret answering the signal that called us here…"_

"_Were you given membership to the Guild?" Kat asked, ignoring her last statement and moving the conversation away from something that could end up in them having another argument._

"_Huh? No, no I wasn't. The Hunters Guild was already operating without royal consent before Old Thundera exploded. King Claudis never gave us his sanction and nobody in Roustious could grant us one… it is hilarious now but we actually tried to get a sanction here from Lion-O, but your three older friends told us he wasn't available and that there was no need for our guild anymore, they even suggested we became rangers and protected the forests, rangers! Can you believe it? Our guild had never been so insulted, I can tell you that!"_

"_I remember it, I wasn't there at the time but I heard about it from Tygra," Kat recalled. "And then nothing; the last I heard about the hunters was that you tried to protect the Capital the night Mumm-Ra's mutant army conquered it."_

_"It was a matter of pride. By doing what the Thundercat nobles couldn't, we showed them that they should have recognized us," Calico explained with little enthusiasm. "We didn't make a difference in the end, but we did kill many Mutants that night."_

_"How many did you kill, if any?" WilyKat asked while making a mental note of mentioning Calico's apparent disdain for Panthro and the other nobles to Mumm-Ra, something he, of course, did later that day; he had been reporting most of what he talked about with Calico to the dark wizard, in exchange of permission to continue seeing her and hoping that it could convince the dark wizard to let her live. That she still felt insulted for what had happened between her Guild and the nobles did surprise him, though; he didn't think Calico would be the type of woman to hold a grudge for so long, perhaps her pride and not her stubbornness was her weakness. He would have to remember mention that to his master, too. _

_"I only killed five, but I wounded at least ten," she said, her voice tinted with shame. "But my aim was off during the battle because I couldn't find a good place to shoot from!"_

_"My sister and I knocked out about thirty each, if I remember correctly," WilyKat boasted._

_"Knocked out? You bested thirty soldiers in combat and you didn't finish them?" Calico frowned. "Why didn't you kill them, were you too young to carry that burden?"_

_"Thundercats never kill unless there is no other choice," Kat clarified. "I was a Thundercat back then."_

"_Ah, yes, I had forgotten about that rule of yours. A most stupid one to follow in times of war or in the middle of a battle," she said and waved her hand dismissively. "Anyway… you should leave. I'm sure you have better things to do than rubbing on my face how many Mutant soldiers you defeated… besides, you have no real reason to talk to me, so go away."_

"_Actually I… no, I don't really have better things to do. And I talk to you because I was impressed by what you did when you attacked us. You are a very skilled warrior."_

_Calico snorted in annoyance. "Warriors are foolish and too proud of their physical strength. I'm a hunter; I stalk and move unseen by my prey before I kill it. Learn the difference. And yes, I am skilled with the weapons of my Guild. Want to try me? I could easily ambush you and gut you with my knives like I would a jungle Brearr from Roustious, or I could fill your hide with arrows before you knew what was happening."_

"_Don't overestimate yourself, Calico; you couldn't hit me when you attacked me, and you wouldn't be a match for me if I ever fought you for real," Kat stated defiantly. "And besides, it would be a shame to ruin the face of someone as beautiful as you."_

"_Beautiful? You consider me attractive?" the hunter girl found that too difficult to believe. "I-is that what this is all about?"_

"_Yes, Calico, I think you're very attractive, and I like you. I was wondering if you would like to…"_

"_Shut up!" Calico interjected, her voice filled with disgust. "I'm not one of your master's whores and I never will be! I would rather die than being with a traitor like you!" _

"_But we've been talking everyday for almost a month! I thought that…!"_

"_The only reason I even talk to you is because it's better than rotting here alone!" Calico snapped "I see that it was a mistake!" _

_"If you're with me Mumm-Ra may consider sparing your life," WilyKat offered, not really believing she was rejecting him. He had done everything right, hadn't he? He had listened to her, kept her company and even gave her medicine and other attentions! Why was she refusing him? Why wouldn't she give him a chance to show her how good he could be for her?_

_"Then let that rotting bag of bones kill me!" she spat with a tone of absolute rage. "Listen to me WilyKat… I will never, ever touch you! I will never touch you as long as I live!"_

"_I… I should have expected that from a slave like you," WilyKat answered with a whisper. Nothing else left to be said between them, the young man left, trying to understand why her rejection was hurting him so much._

_The next day, WilyKat did not find Calico in her cell. Fearing the worst, the young man ran back to the Throne Room, where he found Mumm-Ra sitting on his throne and lazily petting Ma-Mutt._

"_What do you want, boy? I did not summon you," the wizard inquired with a tone of irritation._

_WilyKat froze and swallowed; then, struggling against his fear, managed to ask. "That captured rebel I've been talking to is not in her cell, w-where is she?"_

"_Whatever I do with my possessions is not of your concern," the mummy answered, amused._

"_But…"_

"_You will see her again, and I'm sure you will be surprised," Mumm-Ra then leaned forward and smiled wickedly. "I have great expectations for a woman with her talents, and I'm sure after I'm finished with her she will not disappoint me. Now go, kitten, and don't bother me."_

_WilyKat obeyed and walked out of the Throne Room but almost immediately returned, hiding behind the doors. He did it right in time to see Mumm-Ra entering one of the side corridors and after hesitating for a moment, he stealthily followed. The young man had been too scared to defy his master's orders for years, but this time he chose to ignore the wizard's commands. Besides, the wizard had only asked him not to bother him; he didn't say a thing about not following him. _

_Slithering, WilyKat arrived to the embalming room where the immortal one created the Flesh Puppets. He did not enter it, however, and instead pressed himself against the wall and peeked inside the chamber to find Calico tied to the large stone bed Flesh Puppets were mummified on. A closer look revealed to the male twin that the woman was not dead, and that she had been gagged in a way she could not emit even the slightest sound._

_For an instant, Kat considered entering the room and demanding Mumm-Ra stopped whatever he was planning to do, he was already about to jump in, but a sudden burst of fear kept him still and quiet, he couldn't risk Mumm-Ra's fury, not with his sister's life on the balance. And so, the young man watched in horror how the wizard raised his hands to the air and started chanting a spell he was not familiar with._

"_That's__… that's not the spell to create a Flesh Puppet!" WilyKat whispered, fear for Calico spreading inside him like a plague. "What is Mumm-Ra going to do…?"_

_Just then, a dark figure materialized from the shadows in front of Mumm-Ra. The figure was that of a beautiful, but pale woman with hair as black as night and eyes that glistered with a sinister yellow glow. The female folded the large moth wings adorning her back and touched ground gracefully. She leaned on her large staff and dropped to one knee._

"_Oh, Greatest __Servant of the Ancient Spirits of Evil, Immortal source of grief and darkness, Wise priest of destruction, The Obsidian Witch Itzpapalotl has answered your call," the winged woman greeted. "What can this lowly servant of the Ancient Spirits of Evil do for you? It's been centuries since we last met." _

"_Rise, my friend," Mumm-Ra invited and once the witch was back on her feet, the wizard signaled to the panicked hunter tied to the ceremonial stone slate. "I'm in need of your talents. I require you to turn this woman into one of your children."_

_The witch grinned with anticipation and circled Calico a couple of times, studying her attentively as she did so. "I feel she has a deep resentment and rage lurking inside her… and she enjoys hunting, stalking and killing, too! I'm afraid she doesn't have the traits to be one of my own, but I can turn her into a __Jigarkhwar, would that suffice? I can also make her fully obedient to any command you give her if you want me to."_

_Mumm-Ra considered this for a moment, and then laughed, obviously pleased by the offer. "Yes, it would be more than enough, do it, but regarding that obedience spell, I want you to…" _

_Kat couldn't hear the rest of what Mumm-Ra said or see what happened next, for the dark witch spread her wings wide, hiding both the evil wizard and Calico from view. Defeated and furious because he could not do anything to stop whatever his master and that winged woman were doing, the former Thundercat crawled back to the Throne Room, trying his best to ignore the piercing screams of agony that started filling the corridor as he did so. _

_Later, at dusk… _

_WilyKat knew quite well why Mumm-Ra had just summoned him to the Cauldron room and was not surprised when he found his master waiting for him, standing at his usual spot before the boiling waters with a satisfied expression on his horrid face. What Kat did not expect was to find Calico, wearing her old black cape and gray clothes, standing slightly behind him. He observed her attentively, searching for signs of damage but he found nothing._

"_Your friend here has had a change of heart since you last saw her," the sorcerer said, placing a bony hand on Calico's shoulder. "She will now be glad to cooperate with me without hesitation, won't you, my doll?"_

_WilyKat didn't miss the special emphasis on the word 'doll' or the way Calico's eyes glassed over slightly when she heard it._

"_Yes, lord Mumm-Ra," the huntress answered, her voice slightly dull and mechanical._ "_I will do my best to serve you."_

"_W-what did you do to her?" WilyKat asked, he already knew about the change, but wanted to know exactly what that witch had done to Calico._

"_I offered her a chance to join me, of course. She refused at first but after meeting an old friend of mine she finally agreed to join us. A wise choice, I might add."_

"_Did your friend kill her?" WilyKat inquired with a whisper; Calico was apparently unhurt, but he knew what he had seen and was worried for her._

_The ancient mummy laughed, amused by his young servant's obvious concern. "She didn't kill her. This girl is now one of the undead. Her mind and memories, even her full skills as a hunter remain the same. She is basically the same person, the only difference is that she has pledged her allegiance to me."_

"_Does that mean…?" Kat started._

"_What I told you before, she will be helping me with something I need done," Mumm-Ra grinned. "And she will do a great job, I'm sure of it. Now, my boy, I imagine your curiosity is satisfied, right? Leave us then, I have to give further instructions to my new doll and I don't want to be interrupted."_

_WilyKat stood still for a moment, more questions crying to be asked behind his firmly shut lips. Finally understanding that he would not get more information even if he asked, the young man turned and returned to his chambers._

_During the following month, WilyKat listened about how Calico easily located, infiltrated and helped assassinate the remnants of Pummyra's rebellion. All of this had pleased Mumm-Ra greatly, for the rebels, sans maybe five, had all been eliminated in such a way that an absolute fear had taken hold of the hearts of the slaves, ensuring that none of them would try to form a rebellion again. The fact that Pummyra and Bengali were no longer there helped as well, as no other leader had emerged to take their place._

_The one thing WilyKat noticed that he didn't understand completely was Calico's new tendency to leave the pyramid mostly at nights, as well as her avoiding sunlight as much as she could. That the mutants had started rumors about Calico's strength, speed and the ruthless savagery she exhibited in battle had not disturbed him, as he considered them stupid exaggerations; the rumors stating how she enjoyed ripping out and eating the liver of the rebels she defeated were, on the other hand, something he did find completely unnerving and more impossible than the others. _

_Several days later, not too long after the last of the rebels were gone…_

_WilyKat entered Mumm-Ra's throne room with cautious steps, he had returned from the Capital not too long ago, and while he had been successful on his assignment, he still feared he had made a mistake that he would be forced to pay for now. He found the wizard sitting in his throne, leaning back while examining a silver and gold necklace. Calico was there too, sitting on the steps leading to an upper chamber of the Pyramid and looking completely bored. The wizard motioned for him to approach, and Kat obeyed immediately._

"_You did a good job with the representatives from Trilesh; I didn't think you would be able to convince those stupid bovines to agree with our terms for the trading arrangements I desired; well done, child, you have actually surprised me!" the wizard appraised. "I see taking you with me during the meetings I've had with every greedy diplomat I've dealt with has finally bore fruit." _

"_Thank you my lord, I'm pleased to be of service to you," Kat said as he bowed, receiving praise from Mumm-Ra was not something strange from him, as the mummy had given it before, but this time it was different and more enjoyable for the male twin, as he had never received it for something that required him to mediate with dignitaries from other worlds. WilyKat felt very pleased with himself about this, and it helped him to completely forget the remnants of anger he felt anytime he remembered what his master had done to Calico months ago._

"_I believe you deserve a reward for your efforts, my young servant, and I think I do have the right one just here."_

"_What do you mean…?"_

"_Come closer, girl," the dark lord ordered, calling Calico with a gesture of his hand. The girl quickly did as she was told, and stood motionless a few steps away from WilyKat._

"_What do you need, my lord?" she asked then, waiting for further commands._

"_While you will continue to work for me loyally for as long as I desire, you will now belong to my young servant here," he instructed. "You will be at his side and you will obey his every command, no matter what it might be; is it clear, my doll?"_

_Calico visibly tensed at the new orders she had been given, but once again her eyes glassed over and she nodded her agreement in the end. By the expression on her face, however, it was clear she was not happy. "I'll try to do my best to work with you… Master WilyKat." She then leaned forward and whispered on his ear. "But only because Lord Mumm-Ra demands it."_

_WilyKat took a step to the side and ignored her words, focusing instead on the grinning mummy in front of him. _"_You're giving her to me… why? I don't…"_

"_Be glad that I'm even letting you have her! I could have simply destroyed her when her job was done instead of saving her for you," the dark wizard interrupted, the power present in his voice reminding WilyKat it was always best not to question him. _

"_I-I'm sorry, sire; I regret my poor behavior," WilyKat apologized. "I was simply overwhelmed by your generosity."_

"_Fine choice of words, boy. I accept your apology." The mummy smiled sinisterly then. "If she gives you trouble, remind her she's your doll now and she will behave." _

"_Lord Mumm-Ra why are you telling him that, I…!" Calico argued, her voice alarmed and scared._

"_Shut up, doll. Don't forget your place unless you want to spend a full day in the sun!" the dark wizard threatened. "You were given an order and you will follow it. Now, leave."_

_The threat made Calico lower her head and take a step back, shaking slightly in fear, something WilyKat easily noted. Understanding it would be best to leave before upsetting their master further; Kat bowed and grabbed Calico's hand, dragging her out of the Throne room and into the dark corridors of the Pyramid._

"_Let me go, we're far enough from the Throne room already!" she demanded as she stopped and retrieved her hand in as rude a way as possible. "Just because Lord Mumm-Ra says I must work with you doesn't give you the right to touch me!"_

"_I'm sorry…" He apologized. He continued staring at her, though; Kat had not seen her this close since she had been inside her cell, and was surprised to find that he still enjoyed observing her this much. _

"_What are you staring at; do I have something on my face?" Calico hissed, obviously not pleased by the way he kept looking at her._

"_No, there's nothing wrong with you, quite the contrary, in fact…" he offered, taking a step towards her, hoping she would allow him to at least do that._

"_Don't get any closer unless you want me to hurt you," she warned; her voice a low murmur filled with venom. "I still hate you and no matter what the master said, that won't change. And you better not dare to talk to me unless it's for something important, it's the only way I might tolerate this punishment!"_

_WilyKat frowned; she was rejecting him even now that Mumm-Ra had made it clear she had to obey him? Had she not heard the wizard's words?_

"_You are supposed to obey me," he reminded her. "And I want you to stay here and talk to me."_

"_I'm afraid that won't do," she mocked. "That's not the proper way to make me obey you."_

"_Am I supposed to say please and thank you?" Kat answered harshly, he was starting to feel fed up with the huntress' attitude towards him._

"_Do you expect me to tell you?" the undead woman laughed. "I'm stuck with you, WilyKat, but you will have to find out how to make me obey. In the meantime, I'll just do as I please until the master needs me. I might even talk to you one of these days, if I feel generous!"_

"_Wait! Don't go…"_

_Ignoring him, Calico walked away, disappearing into the shadowy corridors while still laughing at the young, confused man she left behind._

_Several days later..._

_WilyKat sat alone in the Pyramid's library. He had been trying to remove Calico from his mind by studying some of the old magic scrolls there, but he had ended up doing research on undead creatures; he, unfortunately, could not find anything about the Jigarkhwar. Other than the name of what Calico was now, he really didn't know anything else, and he desperately wanted more information. He had not found the courage to ask her about it the few times she had talked to him and even after he figured out the key word to make her obey, he still hadn't found it in him to force her do something of that magnitude. _

_The reason why he had not asked her or forced her was quite simple: WilyKat's feelings for her had only gotten stronger since the moment he saw her again. But now that he could, he doubted when he considered acting upon those feelings. Was it alright for him to make her love him? Calico obviously valued whatever free will Mumm-Ra had left her with far more than anything else; so even if he had the power to completely dominate her with a single word, the idea of controlling her and taking that away from her felt wrong. _

_But the temptation was always there, and her constant rejections made it very difficult for him to resist it._

_As a result of these conflicting thoughts, WilyKat had started spending longer periods of time around Mumm-Ra or at the library, reading the ancient scrolls the evil wizard had authorized him to, teaching himself on the archaic languages he needed to read other, older documents he was interested in. He had, much to his shame, already tested Calico's obedience by ordering her to clean his room and after that having her spend a full night guarding WilyKit's door; Kat had even momentarily entertained the idea of forcing her to kiss him, but in the end he did not go for it. He simply couldn't take advantage of her, especially since her obedience was nothing but the result of the obedience spell that was placed on her when she was turned into an undead. _

"_You have been avoiding me, WilyKat. That is supposed to be my job not yours." _

_Kat looked back as he placed a scroll he had been reading on its place and found Calico standing right in front of him. The woman was looking at him with her usual condescending smirk, something WilyKat didn't like at all. If Calico had attempted to start the conversation with a joke to lighten the mood, she had failed completely._

"_Didn't you want to talk to me? If you don't talk to me, I will ask the master to take me back," she warned with a mocking tone that irritated the young man to no end. "Perhaps that is what you want, no? I'm not surprised; a pathetic little child like you would never know what to do with a woman like me."_

"_Why are you asking me those things? You always ignore me! And why should I answer you?" WilyKat demanded. He was already slightly upset, and both her insults and she considering him a child had really struck him the wrong way. "You call me pathetic? Look at you! You are nothing but a mindless creature with no will of your own; you're just like a Flesh Puppet, you shouldn't even be questioning me at all!" _

"_I'm not a puppet!" Calico yelled back, her eyes flaring yellow as she bared her fangs, which WilyKat noticed were slightly longer than before, in a surprising fit of anger. "And don't you ever again compare me with one of the Puppets, I'm not like them!"_

_"How Should I know not to do that? You never talk to me," Kat stated as he stood straighter, deciding that she was not going to intimidate him._

"_Do you want to talk? Fine, let's talk! Do you really think I'm a mindless corpse, you sad excuse of a Thunderian?" she asked while pointing at him. "Do you even know what I have become, or the kind of power I was granted?"_

"_I do know," Kat replied, his face turned to the left so he wouldn't have to look at the eerie yellow glow in her eyes. "The master called a witch and she turned you into something she called a… Jigarkhwar?"_

"_Mistress Itzpapalotl is more than just a witch, she's the Queen of the Night. And yes, she did bless me with her gift.__" strangely enough, the huntress had relaxed completely as she explained that, for apparently alluding to the witch had calmed her down. "She made me better, WilyKat. Thanks to her I will always live."_

"_Are you immortal like the master?" WilyKat asked, giving in to his own curiosity._

"_No, of course not. But as long as I feed, I won't die, nor age." _

_WilyKat ignored the fact that Mumm-Ra had refused to have him and his sister turned into creatures like Calico and instead focused in the one thing that he had heard whispers about. "Feed? What do you need to eat?"_

"_The liver of someone young," Calico answered, her voice serious and cold. "I must get it from a living creature and eat one at least once every month or…" _

"_Or what?"_

"_Or I will fall into a deep sleep and I won't wake up until someone feeds me blood."_

"_You're a vampyr," the former Thundercat stated, recalling old legends from Third earth he had listened from the Warrior Maidens. "That explains why you don't like going out during the day. Can sunlight kill you?"_

"_I don't know what a vampyr is; as far as I know, I am now one of the undead," she corrected, sounding slightly offended at being confused with something she did not know anything about. "And while sunlight hurts a lot, it can't kill me, it only makes me weak."_

_"Do you like it?" Kat wondered, looking attentively at her._

_"I've… gotten used to it," she told him flatly. "I hated what I became at first, but it doesn't bother me much, now." _

"…_Mumm-Ra mentioned you refused his offer," Kat remembered. "Tell me about it."_

"_I was stupid when I did that," she replied. "I could've stayed normal had I accepted. But I did not, and I paid with pain for my mistake. When my… change was complete, Mumm-Ra started talking, explaining his reasons for doing what he did and also what he plans to do. As I listened to him all I could feel was hate and anger, but when he finished talking he said that cursed key word and I couldn't refuse him! Obeying Mumm-Ra is an absolute for me and I hate it!"_

"_Then why don't you do something about it? It isn't as easy as you first though, is it?" WilyKat asked her, trying to make her see that their situations were similar after all and that she shouldn't blame him for never escaping Mumm-Ra before._

"_I have no choice but to serve him. I'm a monster! I've even started enjoying killing the Thunderians out there in the city, WilyKat! To me they're starting to look more and more like cattle I can feed on… and Mumm-Ra would kill me if I try to escape!" she cried, despair returning to her voice. "And even if I escaped nobody would accept me!" _

"_You're wrong, because I accept you, Calico," WilyKat assured her, reaching for her to try and offer her comfort. "I don't care what you are now, I still want you." _

"_Why are you telling me those things?" the huntress asked, flinching back to avoid him._

"…_Because I still have feelings for you! And those feelings have only gotten stronger," WilyKat admitted after a short pause. "I-I love you, Calico. Don't you think that maybe you could be with me now?"_

"_Being with you? __Never! Even if we stand on the same side now, I'd still rather drink sewage than touching you," the huntress firmly stated as her voice grew cold like the winter wind. "I will never love you, WilyKat. For me you are nothing but a weak coward and I despise you! You useless…"_

"_Shut up, you ingrate!" WilyKat interrupted her, being rejected again by this woman, the only one he had truly developed honest feelings for, even when she was supposed to obey his every command was exasperating and angering him more than anything he could recently remember. Why couldn't Calico accept him? He could simply not understand!_

"_I tell you how I feel and this is how you respond?" WilyKat growled; his frustration and scornfulness rising under her hateful stare. "How can you be so ungrateful? I'm the only one who cared about you when you were in that cell, and I'm the only one left who will accept you as you are now! You are nothing Calico! All you are is a doll! My doll! The least you could do is love me! You must love me more than anyone else! I deserve at least that much!"_

_WilyKat waited for her to answer, but she remained as silent as a tomb._

"_How I wish I hadn't met you!" a furious Kat spat as he walked past the young hunter, tired of waiting for her answer and too angry to realize he had used the key word, he didn't notice the way Calico's features had slowly started to soften._

_Later that night, WilyKat woke up to the feeling of someone softly caressing his face and neck. He opened his eyes to find that somebody had lit the candles of his chambers. His eyes adjusted to the dim light, revealing to him a gorgeous figure kneeling at his side. _

"_Calico what are you doing here?" a surprised WilyKat asked, trying to get up but being stopped immediately as she climbed on top of him and leaned on his chest._

"_I'm doing what you ordered me, master WilyKat," she whispered on his ear. "I'm loving you, and I swear I'll love you more than anything or anyone."_

"_But you don't… not like this! I didn't mean it…!" but WilyKat couldn't finish his sentence, Calico's lips on his own silenced him with a savage, hungry kiss. Any further protests the young man could have made died quickly in the warm embrace of the huntress. _

_Despite being deeply troubled by what he had done to Calico, actually forcing her to love him during his fit of rage, WilyKat found that he could not order her to stop. Having Calico doting on him had turned into a source of company and completeness that he had being lacking for years, and he grudgingly admitted that he was grateful to Mumm-Ra for this. But sometimes, when she rested in his arms and whispered words of love and devotion to him, the guilt got too strong and he ended up leaving her side, spending hours or even a full day inside the library or in combat training at the inner arena of the Pyramid, trying to get rid of the immense remorse haunting him. _

_His relationship with Calico was not to last for long, however, as she was violently murdered less than two weeks after their first night together. The huntress had been sent to investigate the actions of Captain Cracker's robotic pirates, who had been causing trouble at the Mutant's Space Ports, and was rewarded with an incendiary cracker grenade by her efforts, which had apparently burned her to cinders. _

_In the end, Mumm-Ra had been forced to deal personally with the mechanical pirates, frying them all with a barrage of lighting. WilyKat, despite his best efforts, could not find and recover Calico's body, resigning himself to losing her. Deeply affected by the loss, WilyKat decided that from that point on his only priority would be doing all in his power to make sure that his sister, the only person he still cared about, survived and remained safe._

Forcing the memories away, WilyKat once again analyzed the situation. He had tried to bring Calico back as a Flesh Puppet but she had not been one when she died; she had been something else and as such it was logical that the procedure wouldn't work. In his haste to grant her life again he had forgotten about that. Standing up and pacing around the woman, Kat recalled what she had said about what would happen to her if she didn't feed. Perhaps some fresh blood was really needed to reanimate a Jigarkhwar.

"If that is what she needs…" WilyKat murmured and summoned his scythe, which he held firmly on his right hand. "Then that is what I will provide."

Following what he had heard about Vampyrs on Third Earth, Kat used the tip of his weapon to pierce the skin of the woman, opening a wound directly above her heart. He then used the edge of the scythe to cut his hand open. As he had seen in the cauldron while observing Kit's fight with Lion-O, his now dark blood immediately started to mend the incision but before he had healed completely, he pressed his hand over the wound in Calico's chest. As he imagined, he suddenly felt some of his blood being drained, and he kept his hand pressed on her chest until the sensation stopped. He then retrieved his hand, and observed as tendrils of blackness mended the slit on his palm instantly. He then noticed the wound on Calico's chest was already gone.

An ear piercing shriek signaled her awakening and WilyKat, who was distracted by her screaming, was caught off guard and brutally shoved to the side as Calico ran for the door. The young wizard quickly regained his balance and followed after her. He found her standing in the middle of the Throne Room; her confusion as evident as was her fear.

"Why am I back in the master's Pyramid? Where is that bastard Cracker?" she demanded, turning to face the man behind her with anger filled eyes, but the rage in her vanished as she realized who he was. The woman's posture relaxed, her fears vanished immediately and she smiled warmly at him. Longing and relief filled her chest and a burning need to be close to this man invaded her. "Master WilyKat… it's really you…"

Not waiting for him to answer her, Calico pulled him into a tight embrace and buried her face in his chest, breathing his smell and feeling his skin against hers made her feel complete and protected. She had forgotten a long time ago about the reason why she had fallen in love with this man who was now holding her close to him, and it wasn't important, because all she cared about now was the immense love she felt for him, and how good loving him made her feel.

"I'm so happy to see you again, my beloved," She whispered, caressing the skin of his chest with her fingertips. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too," Kat answered, enjoying the feeling of having her close to him again. "I'm glad I could bring you back to my side."

"Thank you for not forgetting about me," Calico slid her hands up to his shoulders and pulled him closer just so she could lightly kiss him on the lips. "I love you, WilyKat; I love you so much… I'm so happy to be with you again…"

"We'll never separate again, Calico. I promise you that," filled with gratitude towards his master for both saving Calico's body and giving him the power to revive her, the young man closed his eyes and enjoyed this brief moment of happiness, swearing on his life that he would burn the whole planet if someone ever took her away from him again.

"You managed to wake her," Mumm-Ra said from the door. "Congratulations my son, I see you even gave her some of your power so she doesn't have to feed immediately. That is good, because we have plenty of work to do."

"As you wish master," Kat agreed, slowly letting go of Calico. "What would you have me do?"

"Certain pest is coming back from the Seventh Dimension, and that will force us to move faster than what I had anticipated," the mummy explained. "But it's still nothing to worry about; it simply means the Thundercats will fall sooner. Now come, we must go to where the arch stood and summon a new army of Demon Beasts."

"As you wish, my lord," Kat agreed, he then looked at Calico. "Go and get dressed, my dear. Meet us at the location of the Black Arch; do you remember where it was?"

"I do. I'll see you and the master there," she agreed and, after bowing to show her respect to the master, the huntress disappeared into a corridor.

"Her things are still in the old room she had, in case you're wondering," Mumm-Ra commented once his pupil caught up to him.

"I know, I made sure they were," the apprentice replied. "How do you know Wizz-Ra is coming back?"

"I have my means, child," the dark wizard smiled sinisterly. "I have my means."

_In New Thundera's ravaged Capital …_

Despite the fire in the Warehouses, now extinguished thanks to the efforts of several of his people, and the dire situation many of the wounded faced, Lion-O was actually starting to feel how the heavy weight of defeat abandoned him as hope renewed in his heart.

Which was a complete turnaround as to how he had felt hours ago when he returned to the shelter carrying a wounded Cheetara, fearing she would die of blood loss. He had felt crushed then; the destruction of their medicine, his wounded friends and WilyKit's absolute betrayal had drove him to the absolute edge, making him doubt he was worthy of leading his people.

But even then, as Lion-O felt darkness would win no matter how hard he fought it, light had managed to shine trough for the young king and his people. And that light had been Pummyra; by the time Lion-O had arrived to the shelter, the Thundercat doctor had already called the nearby towns as well as Harbor City, asking for both volunteers and medical supplies to be sent to the Capital and she somehow had managed to get a positive answer; and not just positive, but quick as well.

When Lion-O entered the refuge, he found nurses waiting for the wounded, who they took into separate rooms for evaluation. Pummyra had then examined Lion-O and made him promise he would rest in his chambers until he recovered enough from the back pain he had told her about. The young king didn't sleep, but he did rest for a long while, and just as he felt well enough to go out and help, he heard it: the sound of several engines approaching. He at first feared it was a Mutant attack, but his fear turned to surprise when he looked out of his window and noticed the four trucks that were driven by Thunderians; his astonishment only grew when he saw the vehicles were carrying several medical packs among other supplies.

He had rushed out and helped the volunteers carry it all inside the shelter, and couldn't help but smile along the other doctors when they thanked the new arrivals for the medicine. Pummyra had approached him again then; Lion-O noticed how happy she was, and when he asked her why, she explained the procedures of Cheetara, O-Celot and the other girl had been a success. Cheetara's leg had been saved, O-Celot's sternum and ribs fixed properly and the girl's hand and shoulder mended. The lion had felt hope renewing inside him for the first time at that moment, and after following Pummyra, who gave him an anti-inflammatory shot to help his back-pain, which luckily was only muscular and not caused by a fracture or other serious injury, Lion-O had been just too glad to make himself as useful as possible.

All of that had happened several hours ago, and taking into account the fact that most of the men who had evacuated the Capital were coming back, that more supplies had continued arriving, that the doctors had managed to stabilize the condition of nearly every wounded Thunderian and that more volunteers kept showing up, it was difficult not to see why Lion-O felt his hope returning. With some luck, he would be able to ask Panthro to fix a communicator with enough power to reach into space, as he wanted to contact some people that he knew would not refuse to help him.

"Excuse me, my king…"

Lion-O looked to his left to find a young mechanic staring at him.

"Yes, what do you need?" the king asked.

"We're almost done with the repairs at the power plant. The generator we managed to put together is only temporary, of course, but we estimate it will work fine for at least five days. We are directing the energy to this area of the city so that the shelter and the buildings around it have power. If all goes well, we could start rebuilding the plant in about two days."

"That's great news!" Lion-O exclaimed. "Pummyra and the doctors will love to hear that!"

"There's still some work to do, but the power should be back on in an hour or maybe less." The mechanic assured. "If you excuse me my Lord, I must return to the Power Plant."

"Please, go ahead. I'll deliver the good news," the king promised. He waited for the mechanic to leave on his old motorbike and then he made his way back inside the shelter. One last look around him, at the Thunderians working here and there, adapting other houses into small warehouses to store the incoming supplies, convinced him that they would be alright while he talked with Pummyra and took care of other things inside the shelter.

Pummyra was _tired_. Helping solve the crisis Lion-O had inadvertently dropped on her hands had taken a considerable toll on her. She, however, was not going to stop working; she couldn't afford such luxury given the number of medical procedures she had to supervise. Luckily for her, now that she had medicaments and other materials that she and the other doctors required, she could just give instructions instead of having to go from patient to patient in a mad rush. That had helped her a bit, but she still had to make sure it all ran smoothly, so she placed her fatigue aside and kept going, making a mental note to take a break in a couple of hours more.

The puma sat in her desk and started reading the last report a nurse had handed over to her a couple of minutes before. She smiled as she noticed how thanks to the use of those four trucks and their three Sky Cutters, many more medical packs had already arrived, and this in turn had allowed her medics to do the work they needed faster. In the end, only twelve Thunderians had died that afternoon; much better than the eighty deaths she had been expecting. She still felt for the ones who didn't make it, of course, but she also realized there was nothing she could do for them anymore except to pray and hope they found peace and happiness in the next life.

"Doctor, it's time," a voice called, forcing the young doctor to look up from the report, finding an old nurse waiting expectantly. "You asked me to remind you to visit that man after three hours, it's time."

"Yes… thank you," Pummyra said, placing the documents on the desk while she nodded to the nurse. "Please make a list of the patients that will need to be moved; with some luck we will be able to take them to the clinic at Harbor City before tonight."

"It will be ready as soon as possible," the nurse promised and went on her way.

Pummyra watched her go and nodding to herself, made her way to one of the makeshift recovery rooms where he rested. She found him still asleep, and was glad that she had received the strong anesthetics on time to administering them to him as soon as his operation was completed. She stood by the door for almost a full minute, simply watching him and trying to avoid feeling an intense guilt about everything. If she had not asked him to bring her those medical packs he would not be in that bed, having gotten badly hurt when he didn't deserve it.

Pummyra took in a deep breath to steel herself and walked to his side. She hesitated for a second before reaching for his face, running the fingers of her good hand gently over his forehead. She stopped when her fingertips reached the scar that crossed her face. She had heard from Lion-O about how O-Celot got it. That was also her fault. She had dragged him into an ambush that had ended so badly she didn't dare to remember it.

"I'm sorry, O-Celot… it seems all I've ever done is cause you pain."

She remembered then the moment he had been carried into the shelter, with his chest collapsed and blood coming out of his nose and mouth any time he tried to breathe. That image made her eyes sting and she realized she would start crying soon. Pummyra blinked a couple of times and used her good hand to rub her eyes and keep the tears away. She couldn't cry; she had to be strong for him and all the other wounded under her care. Still, the healer had to admit seeing him so badly hurt had almost broken her with guilt, and that it had taken all her willpower just to keep going until she had given the proper instructions so she could devote his full attention to him.

Her hand found its way back to him, and it started tracing the shape of his face from the forehead to his neck. Pummyra realized then that she liked it. She liked touching him, she also realized that even in his current state, she enjoyed looking at him. This development troubled her and she had no idea of what to do, because even if she could admit that she felt more concern for him than what she should for a mere friend, and that the idea of him dying filled her with dread, her duties as a Thundercat would demand every second of her life for the foreseeable future but, as she continued caressing his face, she couldn't help but wondering if it would be so wrong for her to act on the feelings she was starting to have for this man.

A knock on the door brought her back into attention and as she turned she found Lion-O standing there. She straightened out to greet him, hoping not to hear of any new emergencies.

"I'm sorry for not being out there with the other doctors… I needed to sit down for a moment and…"

"No need to apologize; you've done so much that you deserve all the rest you need," Lion-O assured her. "How's he doing?"

"He seems to be doing fine. We did all we could, It all depends on O-Celot now," she informed him while sparing a worried glance towards the Forge Master. "What is it, Lion-O? Is your back bothering you again?"

"No, my back is fine; it's something different, something good!" the king said excitedly. "I was just informed the power should be back in an hour or less! I wanted to let you know in case you wanted to bring in some equipment to use on the wounded."

"Those are great news! We could definitively use some of the scanners and beat-tracers from the old hospital. Thanks for telling me!" the healer stood up and headed for the door, a determined look on her face. "I'll have to check the last report on the patients again so I can decide what I need here, though. You can come if you want, Lion-O."

"Thank you, but I'd rather go see how Panthro and Tygra are doing" Lion-O told her. Pummyra nodded and left the room, leaving the king alone. The lion stood there for a minute or two already contemplating if asking O-Celot to craft more armor would be necessary. Deciding to think of that later, he made his way to the door, but a weak whisper stopped him. Turning, he encountered O-Celot was awake now, and was looking at him with weak, yet determined, eyes.

"Are you in pain?" the king inquired, worry evident in his voice. "I'll get a doctor, don't worry!"

"Wait," a weak and strained voice called. "My lord, I… have something… to tell you."

"You can tell me later; you shouldn't be straining yourself right now," the king insisted.

"It's about WilyKit…" he managed to get out, clearly making an effort to speak. "She's too strong now…wasn't like that… before. She's not Thunderian anymore… she's a monster…"

Lion-O, who had already experienced WilyKit's new power, didn't dare to tell that to the convalescent man in front of him, as it was obvious how important it was to him being able to pass on this information. "Thank you for telling me this, O-Celot. I'll be careful if I have to fight her. Now please try to rest, you have earned it."

The Forge Master nodded and closed his eyes, quickly falling asleep again. Lion-O left the room then, and quickly made his way to the separate room the other Thundercats were resting in.

He was about to reach said room when something caught his eye: a girl carrying several, neatly folded blankets and a pair of towels. The child's skin had a light brownish tone and her hair was of a dark red, almost brown shade, just like any other member of the Puma clan, of course. What made him notice the girl was, of course, the fact he knew her. This was Angora, Aliona's younger sister.

All seeing the girl did to Lion-O was to make him remember her older sister, whimpering as she trembled in pain with her right hand crushed and the wound in her shoulder bleeding profusely. Lion-O recalled how he had gone to her side as soon as he had stopped Cheetara's hemorrhage, and the way he had promised her everything would be alright as he watched how some other volunteers carried her into the truck. The king decided that at least asking how she was doing would be necessary.

"How is your sister?" Lion-O asked as he approached the little girl.

"Oh… it's you! Hi, King Lion-O," Angora greeted him, stopping on her tracks and making a quick bow to show her respect and then continued with a smile. "My sister is fine; Doctor Pummyra said she will be ok! She told the other doctors what to do to help my sister and when she visited earlier she gave her some tea that kept her pain away! Pummyra is _so_ great!"

The king smiled openly at the admiration this child had for the Thundercat medic. "Yes, Pummyra is great. It seems you like her, don't you?"

"Of course I like her! She's the best! I want to be a doctor like her, you know?" Angora stood taller with pride. "I'm already starting, look! I'm helping the nurses right now! I'm taking these clean blankets to the people who need one, it's an important job and Pummyra in person asked me to do it!"

"And I thank you for helping," Lion-O told her. "Well, I won't stop you anymore; say hi to your sister from me."

"Can you help me with my sister?" she called suddenly, stopping the king before he left.

Lion-O stopped and turned, frowning in surprise, to look at the girl. "Help you, sure, but how?"

"Hmm… I… well, I'm supposed to bring her something, yes!" at that moment, the child realized she had probably screwed up, as the expression on the king's face was unsettling her. "But she's probably sleeping and I have to finish my work, and…"

"Calm down, I'll help you, don't worry about it," the lion assured her with a small smile. "What do you need to give her? I can take it to her."

"Ah… just a clean blanket… she's on room seven," Angora instructed him. "Wait… are you sure? It'd save me some time if you give it to her… but I don't want to bother you, so… please?"

"Sure, no problem," he reached for the blue blanket the girl was handing to him and smiled again, Lion-O found the way the girl tried to provide him an excuse to visit her sister was quite funny and charming, and had to hold back a well humored chuckle.

What Lion-O didn't see when he went to room seven, was the hopeful smile adorning the girl's face as she continued with her errand. Angora knew her sister didn't need another blanket, but she also knew how sad Aliona felt and, proving that sometimes child-like innocence is the right approach, she had decided that making sure the king visited her would be the best way to help her older sister improve her mood.

Lion-O found her sitting on a stool, looking out the open window. The bandages on her shoulder evident under the oversized robe she had on and her right hand was encased in a splint, holding it in place.

"Hello, may I come in?" the young king asked from the door.

She nodded without looking at him. On any other occasion, she would have felt shy, humble and glad to have the Lord of the Thundercats visit her, but right then, Aliona simply felt too tired, too hurt and defeated to feel something else than complete desolation.

"Your sister asked me to give you this," He explained as he extended the blanket on her bed and tried not to stare too much. The king had noticed that the air of optimism he had started to associate with the young woman was completely gone, and that worried Lion-O a bit. "How are you feeling?"

"Terrible." She answered as she lowered her face, hiding her reddened eyes from him. "I've never felt so bad before, I just can't believe this happened to the city…"

"Aliona, everything will be alright," Lion-O offered while dragging a second stool to sit in front of her. "You'll be alright."

"I know I'll heal…" she replied, still not looking at him. "It's just that I… I couldn't do a damn thing to defend myself! I knew trying to stop her was impossible for me, but… hell, I can't believe I was so damned stupid!"

Aliona trembled as she recalled how that ferocious woman mocked her as she told her how she would murder her; just the memory of WilyKit's voice was enough to fill her with fear. "S-she almost killed me! She wanted to kill me! And she would have laughed while doing it. She's evil, a twisted, evil demon!"

"She's not here now," Lion-O reminded her, making sure to keep his voice calm and comforting even if in the back of his mind he kept blaming himself for not arriving earlier to the warehouses. "She can't hurt you here."

"But she's still free, isn't she?" Aliona asked, her watery eyes finally rising to meet those of the king.

Ashamed, Lion-O gave her a nod. "She managed to escape before I could arrest her."

"Then she can still hurt me," she stated in a low voice, her frightened gaze wandering again to the streets out the window. "She's out there… and she's waiting… I know she's waiting for the perfect time to come back and finish what she started. Sooner or later she will kill me…

Aliona made a pause and swallowed the lump she had started feeling in her trhoat.

"…I'm scared," she finally admitted and lowered her face again. "I fear not just for me… but for my mother and my sister. I'm afraid that my mistakes have put them in danger, and Angora is just a little girl! What if she gets killed because I was so stupid? I…"

The farmer girl could not continue, the image of her dead mother and sister filled her mind and she lowered her face the moment she felt a pair of tears born of despair started running down her face. She tried wiping them away, but her right hand protested with a sharp pain when she tried moving it, and her left shoulder did the same when she tried her other arm. The feeling of being this helpless did nothing but to cause new tears to start flowing.

"I-I'm sorry… I can't even use my hands," she apologized, suddenly feeling too uncomfortable to be seen in this condition. She was nothing but a scared, useless farm girl, and there was nothing she could do to fix things. Embarrassed, the only thing she wanted then was to be left alone, so she wouldn't humiliate the king anymore with her weakness. "Please, leave me alone, milord… I…"

"No. I can't leave you alone if you're like this, Aliona," Lion-O interrupted her, his voice firm and reassuring now. "I know you're afraid, we are all afraid. But you can't let your fears control you. You won't be able to help your family if you do. Don't fear WilyKit, she won't hurt you again. I won't let her harm you or your family. Trust me."

"…I trust you" she whispered, she realized the king was still too close to her, and for a second she thought about leaning back to increase the distance, but she couldn't do it, she feared doing that would insult him and besides, she actually didn't mind this, it felt nice to know the Lord of the Thundercats was willing to protect her if she was in danger. "I trust you with my life, my king… it's just that I…"

"Please don't cry anymore, we'll make it alright again, I promise," Lion-O swore as he slowly reached for her face and softly dried her tears with his thumb. It was strangely disheartening for him to see her like this. He didn't know this girl that well, but after the few times they had spoken and the way she had moved forward after the death of her father, he had come to believe that she was far more determined, perseverant and with a stronger will than this. What had WilyKit done to her to break her mind this badly?

She felt her heart stop and her breath freeze when his warm hand cupped her face and her thumb slid over her tears. Alarmed that someone would enter and saw this, she looked at him intending to ask her to leave but then she saw his eyes and for an instant, when their eyes locked, she saw in him sadness and fear, a reflection of how she felt, but she also saw an incredible strength and valor. Lost in his gaze, so full of spirit and hope, Aliona started feeling a sense of safety and security invade her, and she found that she trusted him completely, that she believed in him with all her being and she also understood that she would be fine as long as she kept believing in him with all her heart.

"I promise you, on my honor as the Lord of the Thundercats, that nobody will hurt you or anyone you hold dear. I will protect you all and I will put an end to this nightmare," the King promised. He still held Aliona's face on his hand and made sure she looked at him while he spoke. "I won't fail you."

The farmer girl felt her face flush at his proximity, she noticed the way his eyes started shining with resolution and power as he spoke, and idly wondered where he got his strength from. She liked this, and she knew she had to separate herself from him, but she found him hypnotizing, and he made her feel safe and warm and gave her hope all at the same time. "I know you won't fail, my King. I know you will keep your promises, no matter what happens…"

She closed her eyes and leaned on his hand, enjoying how strong and warm and gentle it felt against her skin. Despite herself, Aliona felt a rush of warmness invade her, and the thought of being held in the arms of the king entered her thoughts, staying firmly in the front of her mind until she forced it out, remembering that he was the king and she had no right to have those thoughts about him.

Lion-O noticed then that he was awfully close to her, and he also realized that he had kept touching her face longer than what he knew would be polite. She didn't seem to mind, but he couldn't be sure, so he slowly took his hand back, and was slightly confused by the way she seemed to regret the contact between them was over. "Thank you Aliona, like I told you before, I will do my best to live up to your expectations."

"You already have, my Lord," Aliona sighed, the feeling of his hand on her skin lingered still, and she found it comforting and reassuring. She looked at him again, and this time she found smiling was something easy to do. "Thank you, I feel a lot better now."

"I'm glad to hear you say that," he smiled back at her. "I'm sure your mother and sister will be happy, too."

A moment of silence fell between them, and Lion-O felt it was time for him to go. Staying here too long would keep her from resting, and he didn't want to inconvenience her much.

"Please, give my thanks to Pummyra if you see her," Aliona requested, trying to find a way to break the silence. "It's because of her that I won't lose my arm and hand."

"I will," Lion-O agreed. "I understand her doctors did a great job; you will be throwing your boomerang in no time, I'm sure of it."

Aliona blinked twice as if recalling something, she then stared worriedly at the king. "My grandfather's Thunderang! I lost it during the fight!"

The Lord of the Thundercats raised a hand to calm the farmer girl down. "Don't worry about it, it's in my room. I'll give it back to you once you're back to full health. I promise I'll keep it safe."

She relaxed once she heard this, and appeared to consider something as she did. "I think it's best if you keep it. I'm not good enough to use it properly and it will be more useful in the hands of a Thundercat."

"The Thunderang belongs to your family, Aliona," Lion-O assured as he, too, appeared to consider something. "Listen, when this is all over… why don't you let Panthro or Cheetara give you some training?"

As the king expected, the life and determination returned to the girl's eyes once she heard his offer.

"Me? Training under a Thundercat master?" Aliona asked nervously, not daring to believe the king's words. "I-I don't think I deserve it!"

"If you're going to go around getting into fights, you need to at least be able to defend yourself properly, don't you think?" Lion-O teased lightheartedly as he stood up and walked for the door. He found he wouldn't mind staying a little longer, but he still had many things to do. "And you do deserve it, Aliona. You wounded one of those monsters and survived against a very strong enemy, I think you have some raw talent, it would be a shame to let it go to waste."

"My King, please don't make jokes about this, I might end up believing you," She coyly whispered.

"It's not a joke. I'll see that you get training," the king promised. "I'm afraid that I must leave you now, but I'll try to visit again if I can."

"T-that won't be necessary, seriously, you don't have to…!" she started, feeling suddenly nervous about seeing him again, because she knew if it happened she would be hoping for him to do more than just caress her face with his warm and gentle hand again.

"I know I don't have to visit you," Lion-O interrupted her. "But I want to; it's nice talking to you. But for now please make sure you do what the doctors tell you and get better soon, alright?"

Saying no more, Lion-O smiled at her and left the room, unaware he had just left a very flustered young woman behind him.

_A few minutes later…_

Lion-O had to walk to the other end of the shelter in order to reach the private room where Tygra, Panthro and Cheetara rested. Pummyra had explained him that of the three of them the cheetah had been in the worst condition; while Panthro and Tygra had suffered a severe shock and some cuts and bruises, they would be alright after resting for a few hours, but Cheetara, on the other hand, had lost a lot of blood, had a deep cut on her right thigh and had almost suffered a concussion from a strong hit to the head she had taken at some point.

The lion also knew Pummyra had used most of the Sanare fiber she had left on Cheetara's leg, sparing only a small piece of it to apply to O-Celot's chest. According to the doctor, the fiber's healing properties would ensure Cheetara's thigh would recover in less than two days. Pummyra, however, had expressed concern that she didn't have anyone who could donate blood for Cheetara, and was hoping a compatible donor would arrive soon; otherwise, the cheetah would be extremely weak for several days, as her body would strain itself while replacing the lost blood.

He arrived to his friends' private chambers not too long after, and even when he knocked on the door, he only entered until he heard Tygra's voice giving him permission to enter.

Tygra was sitting by the window, holding some documents he had obviously been reading. Other than a few bruises and some cuts, the tiger actually didn't look that bad. Panthro was sitting on a table on the other end of the room, and had apparently been studying some blueprints, the panther had stitches on his forehead, and a few cuts on his shoulders and arms, but he also didn't look too bad.

Cheetara, however, was a completely different story. The cheetah still slept, her breathing was irregular, and by the expression on her face, Lion-O wouldn't have been surprised to learn that she also had a fever.

"How are you two feeling?" he asked.

"I've been better, but I'm fine enough," Tygra answered, placing the documents on the chair's seat as he got up to greet Lion-O.

"Same here," Panthro agreed, also standing up. "We were expecting you, Lion-O."

"We better talk outside," the tiger suggested when he noticed Cheetara shifted a little and winced as a result. "There's no need to bother her sleep."

Lion-O simply followed his two friends to the hall. Once there, he waited for them to speak, wondering what it was they wanted to tell him.

"Pummyra sent us a damage report," Tygra started. "We've read it a couple of times already and…"

"…We believe our highest priority should be restoring the power to the city," Panthro finished.

"I got notice that the temporary generator will be ready in less than an hour," Lion-O informed.

"Good, that's good," Panthro nodded, thoughtful. "There are some old factories southeast from here, we can use their energy converters and their generators to build a new one for the city; if we have enough hands to spare, I would like to send some men there to get the necessary parts as soon as possible; I even made a list of what I need brought here."

"Also, I've been thinking about cutting off the parts of the city that burned earlier today," Tygra added. "I believe with some of the vehicles here, we could use the remains of the warehouses to build an effective barricade to make it difficult for the enemy to enter the city from there."

Lion-O's mood, which had been rather light seconds before thanks to all the good Pummyra had managed to do in such a short time, turned immediately serious as he listened to his friends' recommendations. Their ideas were sound and viable, thanks to the extra hands that had arrived during the day; he however, still had his own idea to place on the table.

"I'm sure we can do what you suggest," he said. "But there's something else I need done first."

"What would that be?" the engineer asked while unfolding the list of parts he had on his pocket, as he wanted Lion-O to see it.

"I need a communicator able to reach into outer space, Panthro; we will need help to deal with the current situation and I want to contact some of our old allies," the King explained. "Can you do this for me? We can send others to pick up the things you need for the new generator while you work on it."

"I can do that," the panther assured. "Give me two hours and it'll be ready, we can use the one that is on the Communications Center; if the power is back on by then, you should be able to contact people in the next galaxy if you want to, I promise you that. I will need help, though; Tygra, you are familiar with our communication systems, would you give me a hand?"

Tygra felt the muscles of his neck turn to stone at the idea of working alone with the panther. Not because he didn't want to, but because he had felt Panthro would want to do that soon so they could talk about Cheetara, he had already hinted at it during the whole incident at the arch and the architect simply didn't feel ready to have such conversation.

"Well?" Panthro insisted. "We'll finish faster if we do it together."

Taking in a deep breath, Tygra finally answered. "Sure, I'll help you."

"That's good, you two focus on that, I'll go back to help with the supplies that are arriving and I'll also assign some people to bring here everything from that list you mentioned, Panthro. Try to talk with Pummyra, too; I want her to give you a medical check up before you leave."

This said, Lion-O reached for the list Panthro held and before the engineer could complain, the king turned, heading back to the streets, obviously intending to help with whatever he could.

"Well, at least the parts I want will be here soon. Anyway, we should be going, too," Panthro noted. "We will need to get some tools from the engineers at the Power Plant."

"Among other things we may need," Tygra agreed. "I hope there's a vehicle available for us."

"I would like to talk to you about something important," Panthro said in a serious tone as he started walking. "But not here, this is something we need to discuss in private; I hope you don't mind, Tygra."

"No, I don't mind… actually, I do believe we need to talk about something, Panthro," the tiger replied as he followed his friend.

_Some time later at the Communications Center…_

Panthro and Tygra had finished setting up the main communicator so it had the capacity to transmit on an interplanetary range just as Lion-O had requested, and were now just sitting on opposite ends of the room, waiting for the call telling them that the power was back on. They had talked little while working; only saying what was absolutely necessary. Now, as they waited, the mood between the two Thundercats was not as jovial as it normally was, though; quite the contrary, it was silent and tense and both felt as if a deep schism had separated them and none wanted to go across it.

Tygra had expected Panthro would start asking him about Cheetara, but as the minutes passed and the panther continued sitting in silent contemplation, the architect found his thoughts drifting towards the wounded Cheetah resting in the shelter. There were still many things the tiger didn't know about the attack; it bothered him, as he didn't have enough information to form an opinion on it. He had listened from Pummyra during their medical check up that WilyKit had been responsible for the fire at the warehouses, and that she had also caused Cheetara's wounds, but she couldn't tell them how Kit had managed to do that and still escape Lion-O.

The tiger brought his hand up and massaged his forehead. He could only imagine the regret, guilt and emotional pain Cheetara must have felt when she faced WilyKit, and it killed him not having been there to help her. He knew the cheetah's pain well enough, for he felt a little of it. He, however, dared not to assume his pain was even a fraction of what Cheetara was surely feeling. She had faced WilyKit in battle and had been brutally defeated by the girl whom she loved deeply and considered a daughter; he had not. Not yet, at least, but he knew that sooner or later he, too, would have to confront Kit, and he was not looking forward to it.

Still, Cheetara remained his main concern, and he couldn't help but wonder how she was and if she was already awake.

"You're thinking about her too, aren't you?"

Startled by those unexpected words, Tygra looked up, just to find Panthro standing tall in front of him. He had been so distracted he had not heard nor noticed when the Thundercat engineer moved. "What do you mean Panthro? Thinking about who?"

"You know quite well who I meant," the panther said, opening the largest window in the room to let the sun in. "Will I have to spell her name to you?"

Unsure of what to say, Tygra decided to remain silent and give his friend the opportunity to elaborate on what he obviously wanted to say. For several minutes, Panthro simply stood by the window, his hands had clenched into fists as he rested them on the windowsill and his shoulders had tensed as if he were about to attack a group of Mutants. Then, just as the tiger was about to ask him what was wrong, Panthro spoke again.

"I heard you both talking in the twins' room," he revealed as he turned to regard the tiger, his voice tinted with forcefully repressed despair. "I heard everything."

"You… heard us? By Jaga…! I-I'm sorry, Panthro," Tygra whispered, shame and guilt forcing him to look away from his friend's scrutinizing stare. "I shouldn't have done that… but nothing happened between us, I swear!"

Panthro nodded at him, his expression sober and serious. "I know…I saw you. The door was slightly open and I saw you both."

"I can't apologize enough for what you saw," the tiger said as he stood up, trying to reach for his friend but being unable as Panthro took a step back. "I-I got carried away, but I would never betray you… you know that, don't you?"

"Yes, I know, and I have to thank you for what you did," the panther replied as he walked to the window and looked out at the street, giving Tygra his back. "You didn't give in. You had the chance but you didn't take it. You placed our friendship first; I must admit I'm grateful for that."

"I appreciate you think that way," the architect said in a low, ashamed voice. "But I'm still sorry for what I almost did."

"Can I ask you a question, Tygra?" Panthro suddenly queried.

"Yes, of course."

"Do you love her?"

"Excuse me?"

Panthro turned and walked up to Tygra, he then leaned forward so he was at eye level with him and stared at his eyes with such a serious expression that the tiger found himself paralyzed. "I asked if you love her, Tygra; answer my question and please tell me the truth."

Tygra found his mouth dry and his hands sweaty, he was aware of his feelings for Cheetara, but had decided to place them to the side to avoid feeling hurt when the logical culmination of her relationship with Panthro took place. Being forced to suddenly admit having those feelings was not easy for him.

"Well?" the panther insisted with an almost growl, getting even closer to the architect.

"I… yes. I love Cheetara," Tygra finally admitted, lowering his eyes as he found he could not keep looking at his friend. "I've loved her for a very long time, Panthro. I think I've had feelings for her since before Old Thundera was destroyed. I just… I always put those feelings aside and I convinced myself that I only cared for her as a friend but now… now I can't deny it anymore. I truly love her."

"I see… that means I stand no chance, then," The panther stated as he stood straight and took in a deep breath while he retreated again to stand close to the window; once there, he crossed his arms and closed his eyes, focusing in forcing his jealousy and despair down, keeping them from clouding his judgment. He was a rational adult, after all, and would not react to this like a hormonal teenager.

"No chance? What are you talking about?" the tiger asked, not really understanding his friend's words.

"I've seen the way she looks at you. I noticed it first when we started rebuilding Cat's Lair, I strongly suspected it when I overheard your… conversation, and I finally confirmed it after those Demon Beasts attacked the city. The way her face shines when she sees you, it leaves no room for doubt. She may still care for me, but what she feels for you… she loves you," Panthro explained, his voice strained and full of pain.

"I never intended to steal her from you," Tygra offered, once again trying to approach his friend, but stopping as he noticed the scowl the panther aimed at him.

"I believe you, Tygra." Panthro sighed. "But I love her too, and this is so difficult…"

"Panthro, I…"

"Don't talk. Just listen to me," the panther interrupted as he walked to the door, clearly intending on leaving the office. "I can't stop her from following her heart. I'm going to let her free. The way things are now… you know something big is coming, and it won't be good. But Cheetara deserves a moment of happiness before it happens, and I think that you… you are the only one who can make her happy right now, Tygra."

"Panthro, are you serious?" Tygra asked, but one look at the panther's determined expression convinced him that his friend was being completely honest. Panthro was leaving Cheetara to him. "You are serious."

"Yes I am," the panther opened the door and stood there, apparently struggling to say something before leaving. Finally, the heartbroken engineer whispered. "Don't waste this opportunity the way I wasted mine, Tygra."

For an instant, Tygra didn't know what to say or how to answer; in the end, he settled for what he imagined would be the safest and best answer: "You… are a great friend, thank you Panthro."

"Don't say that," the engineer answered. "I'm not doing this because we're friends, Tygra. I'm just doing this because I love Cheetara enough to want the best for her, even if that means losing her to you."

Saying no more, Panthro slowly closed the door and left the building. The forlorn panther wanted to believe he had done the right thing, even if he had ended up heartbroken and feeling as if he walked with a gaping hole in his chest.

Pushing down his regrets and pain, the engineer forced himself to focus on the new power generator and on finishing the design of the anti-magic field he had been working on since his days as a slave on Mumm-Ra's mines. Panthro recalled his father had told him once that the best way to forget a woman was working, and he intended to test the effectiveness of that paternal advice as much as he could.

_Back at the shelter… _

Lion-O grabbed a box full of medicine from the bed of a truck and carried it back to the entrance of the Shelter, handing it over to an expecting doctor; he smiled to the medic as he wiped the sweat of his brow. Feeling thirsty, the king made a signal to the other Thunderians indicating he would go into the Shelter for a moment. Once inside, Lion-O went straight to the kitchen, where rations were being carefully prepared so the scarce food they had left would be enough to feed everyone until the rations and other aliments that were on their way arrived. The women in charge of cooking were kind and offered him food, but he refused it politely, instead accepting a large jar full of Torangine juice, which according to Snarf would both quench his thirst and provide him with energy. Lion-O had to smile once he finished his drink and felt refreshed and re-energized, just as Snarf had told him.

"Even if you're gone, you still find the way to teach me things, old friend," Lion-O thought, fondly remembering the old Snarf who had being his most loyal companion.

The young king accepted another jar of juice and took advantage of this short rest to sit in a chair just outside the kitchen; while he continued mourning Snarf, it didn't take long for the chatter and gossip between the cooks that came out of the kitchen to catch his attention. He didn't listen to anything he didn't already know: Everybody looked up to Pummyra and were glad to have her in charge of tending the wounded, just as she had done when she led the rebels and helped rescue people from the mines and protected the farmers. The next few rumors the king found far more interesting, as he heard how many of the new arrivals from Harbor City had turned his fight with the Demon Beasts into a glorious battle where he had arrived in time to slaughter nearly a hundred of the creatures using the power of the Eye of Thundera.

Lion-O found that rumor was something he wouldn't mind if it were true.

It was then that he listened to other things he was not too sure on how to take. One rumor he didn't particularly like stated that he had decided to marry Pummyra as soon as Mumm-Ra was defeated and the city rebuilt. Another one, which he also didn't like much, mentioned that he had left his wife and children inside the Book of Omens to keep them safe during this crisis; while the next one assured he was in a relationship with some commoner girl who had been wounded during one of the last attacks.

Why were those women so interested in him having a queen or an heir? It simply made no sense to him. Lion-O puzzled this for a moment, until he recalled something Snarf had told him once. He had explained how, for most of the people, the continuation of the royal line was etremely important; when he had asked why, the old Snarf had just told him that if the presence of a queen gave people hope for the future, the arrival of an heir would cement it, and that it was mostly after difficult times when a king was more pressured to find a wife and produce a prince, to ensure their people that he was thinking on their future.

"It makes no sense to me, old firend," Lion-O muttered, convinced that rebuilding was more important than finding a wife. "Besides, where can I find a queen? There aren't any noble women left other than Cheetara, and I wouldn't ask her."

Lion-O knew there was someone else, of course, another noble woman, if she could be called that, still lived. WilyKit.

The young man could not stop himself from remembering her and their last battle, which in turn reminded him of how he had fallen for her lies. Lion-O had already reprimanded himself for his naivety and for not taking that chance to ask WilyKit about Snarf's murderer. He imagined that in her newfound evilness, Kit would revel in causing him pain by revealing the identity of the killer. Unfortunately, he had been so busy fighting her that he had completely forgotten about it.

"I should have asked her," the lion whispered regretfully. "I should have made sure she would answer all of my questions!"

_"I'm supposed to be y-your wife, your queen! I've always been!" _

WilyKit's words suddenly echoed in Lion-O's mind, bringing him also memories of her during the short time she had spent with them before going back to Mumm-Ra's side. He remembered her wearing the Blue leotard Cheetara had bought for her, and the way she laughed and joked with them that night they organized a party just for her. He remembered her sitting, sad and alone, on that rock in the middle of the forest. He recalled the way the wind would play with her hair, the wonderful spark in her eyes when she was in a good mood, the vibrant melody of her voice. It was then that Lion-O finally realized just how beautiful and attractive WilyKit had become as a young adult.

Deep inside, the lion had to admit that, if things had been different, he would have been _very_ attracted to her. For the young king, understanding this just now, when she was so out of his reach and so firmly in the grasp of his worst enemy was exasperating, and it filled his mind with questions and thoughts of the life they could have had as King and Queen, thoughts of a future that would never come to pass. The only counsel he found was the chance that Kit had lied about that engagement between them, and he had the firm intention to find out the truth from the ones who probably knew about it.

With that idea on his mind, Lion-O decided to chance it and headed to the private room where Cheetara slept, hoping that she was awake and well enough to talk; other wise, he would have to ask Tygra and Panthro, something that would most likely have to wait since they were both busy doing what he had asked them.

Not too long after, he entered the recovery room the other Thundercats had been placed in. to his surprise, Lion-O found that Cheetara was already awake, sitting between the beds of Tygra and Panthro, reading the same documents Tygra had been busy with earlier.

"What is it, Lion-O?" The cheetah asked as she reached for a cane she had obviously been given so she could walk. "Do you need something?"

Lion-O tensed at the sight and it took him a lot of effort to control his guilt. Had he arrived sooner, she wouldn't need to rely on that cane to walk and, even if it was not permanent, it still hurt him to see her like that.

"Don't stand up. I-I'm sorry," he said. "I should have been there. You shouldn't have had to fight her alone."

"I don't blame you," Cheetara smiled softly and pointed at her bandaged leg. "It doesn't hurt that much and this Sanare bandage will help me heal in a couple of days. As for fighting her alone, I had to Lion-O. I had to do it alone so I could see."

"See what?"

"If I could still save her," She admitted, her gaze lowered and she forced back her tears. "WilyKit was… is like a daughter for me Lion-O. I love her, even now, I still love her. It hurts me more than anything to know she has fallen so deeply into the darkness. I hoped I could reach her; I thought that I could be a mother to her and bring her back. But she… she has become so completely evil that… it's like she died and something else crawled into her body."

"I would agree with you but…" Lion-O sat in a chair in the corner of the room and proceeded to retell his fight with WilyKit to the older Thundercat. By the time he had finished with his recollection of the battle, Cheetara was looking at him with a grave stare.

"That thing she said," Lion-O started. "About us being engaged… is it true?"

"Yes, it is," Cheetara answered, lowering her voice a little. "Tygra and I… when it was decided that we would escape Old Thundera, we convinced Jaga to take her and WilyKat with us as the representatives of the Wildcat Clan; keep in mind this was two years before the cataclysm… And, as Jaga got to know the twins, he decided that Kit had good qualities that would make her a fine queen. He brought this to your father's attention and he agreed. They also noticed WilyKat's wit and intelligence, and decided he would be a fine best friend and later advisor to you."

"That is why they were with us, then?"

She nodded. "We thought you would need friends your age that would grow up with you, to forge with them a strong bond that would not be severed."

"Why didn't you tell me before about all this?" Lion-O asked, still assimilating Cheetara's words.

"Your capsule malfunctioned. You grew up and would require different assistance," she explained. "We couldn't treat you like a child anymore, and you were too old for the arranged marriage to be held. We discussed it while you went out exploring by yourself and…"

"What did you decide?"

"We decided to put the arrangement on hold, at least until WilyKit was old enough," Cheetara answered. "We also agreed to keep that a secret from you. Kit was relieved that she would not have to marry you because you got too 'big and rough' and Kat… well, he was sure he could still assist you even if you were older."

The cheetah sighed as she obviously reminisced of happier times and then continued. "By the time we had established ourselves here and you entered the Book of Omens WilyKit told me that she wouldn't mind being your wife, if the arranged marriage was still valid. She was, of course, a few years older than when we crash landed on Third Earth, and had entered the age when she would start noticing boys."

"And she noticed me."

"It seems so, yes."

For several seconds, Lion-O remained silent, his breathing was even but his eyes showed the turmoil inside. "Mumm-Ra really wanted to destroy me, didn't he?"

Cheetara waited and observed her king attentively, in case he asked for advice.

"I think I finally understand why he offered to keep the twins with him to spare them from the mines, Cheetara… he somehow must have known about the roles they would play in my life and my kingdom, and wanted to make sure they would never achieve their destinies."

"Lion-O you are going too far, there is no…"

"Am I, Cheetara?" the lion interrupted. "You know quite well Mumm-Ra is always spying on us! Think about it, he made WilyKit act as his queen, remember? And by the way he used WilyKat, I'm sure he planned to have him as a right hand man. He took the twins and twisted their lives into a distorted image of what they should have been!"

The cheetah stared at her frustrated king and she, too, started to put things together. She had been so concerned about WilyKit's wellbeing during the time she had been captive at Castle Plundarr and then feeling guilty and trying to recover her after she turned evil that she had somehow overlooked what Lion-O had said. She had to agree that Lion-O was probably right and she felt a surge of hate aimed at Mumm-Ra invade her. She should have realized that before and should have acted accordingly to prevent it.

"And now there is nothing we can do about it," Lion-O concluded. "All we can now do is to stop Mumm-Ra and to make sure he can't come back this time."

"And what will we do about WilyKit?" Cheetara asked.

Lion-O closed his eyes and steeled himself. "She has crossed a line she shouldn't have. Not only has she killed other Thunderians, she placed the lives of many more in danger by setting the warehouses on fire. We will capture her and we will give her a fair trial, but I won't accept exile as her sentence, permanent imprisonment seems far more reasonable at this point."

Cheetara swallowed and bit her lips, listening to Lion-O decree what he thought would be the adequate punishment for WilyKit, even if he were right, still hurt her.

"I'm sorry Cheetara," the lion offered. "But it's better than what she deserves."

"I… know," she replied. "I know."

"Believe me, Cheetara, I wish it didn't have to be this way, I really do."

Cheetara couldn't answer, for a knock on the door interrupted the conversation. the knock was followed by Pummyra's voice, who asked for permission to enter the room, as she had something important to tell Lion-O.

"Tygra called," Pummyra announced as soon as she opened the door. The puma looked anxious. "He said the communicator was ready, Lion-O."

"Faster than what I expected," he muttered. Lion-O then turned to regard the cheetah again. "I'm sorry for leaving like this, Cheetara; but I'm going to try to call some of our old allies. I hate to admit it but I doubt we can survive another attack like the last one unless we have help."

"It's a reasonable and wise choice, Lion-O," she agreed. "Go, then. I'll wait for you and the others here."

"We'll be back soon," the king promised as he left.

"I didn't know he wanted to do that." Pummyra said while her brow rose in surprise. "I sure hope he's luckier than I was when he calls, though."

"What do you mean?" the cheetah asked.

"Nothing, just that Vultureman had a satellite on orbit that blocked all unauthorized frequencies, I could never hack the thing," The medic explained and shrugged. "Then again, we rebels didn't have access to that much technology to begin with, just the most basic stuff we managed to salvage here and there."

"But that's already taken care of," Cheetara smiled. "It was one of the first things Panthro did. He hacked into the satellite from here and deactivated it."

"Well, I know I came back just recently, but you guys could have told me that," Pummyra replied with feigned indignation, earning with it a chuckle from her cheetah friend, just as the puma had intended. "Anyway, how's that leg feeling Cheetara?"

_Not too long after__…_

Lion-O expected to find both Panthro and Tygra waiting for him at the Communications Center, and was surprised to find only Tygra there. he had meant to ask about it, but the expression on the tiger's face convinced him not to. Instead, the young king simply sat in front of the new communicator and quickly entered the frequency numbers of a certain female ICF officer he had met several years ago. a few minutes went by and Lion-O was starting to lose hope when suddently, his call was accepted.

_"ICF Special Forces captain Mandora here,"_ a voice announced._ "Who is this?"(1)_

"Mandora! This is Lion-O," the young king greeted, glad to listen to his old friend's voice. Behind him, Tygra felt relief wash over him, as he had started to fear the communicator was not working properly.

_"Lion-O?"_ the voice sounded confused. _"From New Thundera? That's impossible! The ICF got reports that you died during a civil war that ended when a new king rose to power. What was the name of that man?__… Oh, yes, Amon-Ra!"_

"Mandora, that was Mumm-Ra, he tricked you all!" Lion-O argued.

"_Tricked us? Do explain,"_ Mandora requested.

The young king did just that, and spent the next twenty minutes recounting the events of the last few years to the ICF officer. By the time he had finished, Lion-O was starting to doubt Mandora would help him.

"And that's what happened; we are trying to rebuild, but we are quite vulnerable right now; I'm afraid we're going to need help protecting the Capital for the next few days and I was hoping you and the ICF could provide us with assistance."

"_No, I'm sorry Lion-O,"_ Mandora replied after a moment of silence. _"I wish I could help you but I can't."_

"What?" the lion was shocked, Mandora had always willingly helped them before. "Why not?"

"_I'm no longer a patrolling officer; I'm a Captain with my own Starship to command; I can't just leave to help you,"_ the ICF officer explained. _"I must supervise trading routes between the planets of two Solar Systems, Lion-O; besides, the ICF does not intervene on local affairs."_

"What do you mean?"

"_The Interplanetary Control Force polices the trading routes between the Solar Systems of the Galaxy, Lion-O. We also chase criminals who have commited crimes in more than one planet or in an interplanetary scale. We don't have the authority to get involved in political conflicts unless they threaten to star a war between worlds."_ Mandora clarified, her voice level and proffesional. _"I'm sorry old friend, but my hands are tied. You will have to do this without me. I wish you luck."_

Not waiting for Lion-O to reply, the ICF officer cut the communication off.

"She and Control won't help us," the lion announced. "I can't believe this! She won't help because of some bureaucratic crap!"

"Mandora has new responsibilities, Lion-O," Tygra reminded him. "And she's likely under heavy supervision. I assume that even if she wanted to, her superiors wouldn't let her come to Thundera."

"It's still unfair."

"I know, but there's not much we can do about it," the tiger said. "Who else were you going to call? I'm sure someone else will come to help us."

"Hachiman, and others from Third Earth," Lion-O answered. "I'm sure at least he will come."

Saying no more, Lion-O hurried to input the frequency of the old Cat's Lair, which he had been told was still standing, and again had to wait for several minutes until someone answered. To the lion's surprise, a Berbil picked up his call. The robotic bear was overjoyed to hear Lion-O's voice, and wasted no time explaining him how the Berbils had made sure Cat's Lair and the Tower of Omens remained in good shape. By the time Lion-O had finished his tale about the crisis New Thundera was facing, the Berbil's mood had turned completely.

"Because of that, Ro-Bear-Bill, we are in need of help." (2)

"_Understandable, Lion-O,"_ the mechanical bear said. _"What can we do to help you?"_

"I need to contact Hachiman, Snowman and the Warrior Maidens, is it possible?"

"_I already did that, Lion-O. I made it so they all listened to you as soon as I knew you were calling!" _Ro-Bear-Bill revealed.

"_It's good to know you're alright, Lion-O_," Hachiman greeted. _"Even if the circumstances are grim."_

"_I agree; even so, I'm glad to hear from you,"_ Snowman added. (3)

"_I must say that it happily surprises me,"_ Nayda concluded. _"So, you need our help, don't you Lion-O?" (4)_

"Yes, I do," the lion answered. "Any help you can give will be appreciated. We can't do this alone, my friends. If Mumm-Ra attacks now, there's a chance that he might win."

"_Say no more, Lion-O, I'm already there,"_ Nayda stated, her voice low and filled with contained fury. _"We warrior maidens still have a score to settle with Mumm-Ra's forces."_

"_I'll go as well," _Hachiman rejoined. _"I still owe you for helping me save my father's life. It will be an honor to fight by your side again." (5)_

"_I, unfortunately, can't go. There is a war in the Snow Kingdom right now, and I can't leave my people unprotected,"_ Snowman explained. _"I will, however, send you the finest armor in our kingdom, Lion-O. I know it's not much, but I hope it'll be useful for you."_

"Don't be sorry Snowman, I understand and any help is appreciated," Lion-O assured him. "As for the rest of you, do you have transportation? We unfortunately don't have a ship capable of space travel right now."

"_Doctor Dometone has a very fast Spaceship,"_ Ro-Bear-Bill offered. _"I'm sure he will let us use it once he knows we're going to help you, Lion-O. I estimate it would take us less than thirty hours to get to New Thundera."(6)_

"In that case we will be waiting, thank you my friends, you don't know how much this means to me and all of my people!" Lion-O honestly thanked, his heart beating faster with the excitement the true renewal of hope brought him. With Hachiman and the Warrior Maidens on Thundera, he and the other Thundercats would have a chance to resist any possible further attacks while continue fortifying the Capital.

_Later, that night__…_

Tygra sat in silence in his chambers; he and Panthro had moved out of the recovery room, which was now exclusively occupied by Cheetara. While the panther had chosen a room as far from the cheetah as possible, Tygra had instead requested the one next to hers, so he could assist her as soon as possible in case it was necessary.

He had hoped to talk to her, to tell her about the allies that would come to help them, but she had been asleep for most of the day, as the blood loss had weakened her greatly and she had used most of her strength earlier and as a result, the tiger had simply decided to wait until the next day.

Tygra stood up and walked out of his room. As he expected, he immediately saw a doctor walking along a pair of nurses through the hall, obviously giving them instructions. He had to admire the dedication of the few doctors they had available, as they had worked in short shifts for almost two days without protesting or giving up. For a moment he thought he would see Pummyra walking around but recalled that they had convinced her to rest the full night, same with Lion-O. It hadn't been easy, as both the king and the healer had strongly argued against it, but between him and Panthro they had managed to talk them into it.

And Panthro had been in a slightly better mood when he returned to the shelter, working hard on the Power Plant had helped him burn off what was bothering him, but he still wouldn't talk to Tygra more than what was absolutely necessary. The tiger spared a glance in the direction of Panthro's room and wondered if he slept or not. Normally, he wouldn't mind visiting him for a game of cards or to drink something together, but he understood that night it would be impossible.

Having nothing better to do, the archtect made his way to the kitchen, intending on finding something hot to drink; had he stayed closer to Cheetara's room, though, he would have noticed the pulsing blue light coming out from under the door.

Inside Cheetara's room there was a mirror, large enough to see half your body reflected on its surface, and right now, said mirror was glowling rightly with a blue light.

"Cheetara… Cheetara… I need your help… to get out…"

The cheetah stirred in her sleep, the voice that whispered into her ears was gentle, but also incredibly demanding, repeating the same plea for help over and over again until she could not take it anymore and she opened her eyes. Cheetara could not deny her surprise when she found her room completely iluminated by the bluish light coming out of her mirror.

This strange occurence was not something she hadn't experienced before, and Cheetara quickly realized who was calling her. Wizz-Ra, the wizard they had helped so many years ago. She had to admit she never thought they would meet him again, considering it would take him thousands of years to escape his imprisonment again. The fact he was calling for her intrigued her greatly, so she reached for her cane and slowly walked to the mirror.

"Help me…" the voice insisted. "I must return to your dimension… it is very important."

"Wizz-Ra, is it really you?" Cheetara asked, and doubting that the voice she heard truly belonged to their old ally, she stopped her hand from touching the mirror.

"Yes, Cheetara, it is me…" the voice said, the glow coming from the mirror diminished, showing an image of the ancient wizard instead. "The Ancient Spirits of Goodness have granted me an opportunity to escape mi prison, but only you can help me."

"I'm not dreaming then?"

"No, you aren't, please hold my hand Cheetara… only you can pull me out of the Seventh Dimension… hurry, I don't have much time to get out," the sorcerer pleaded, holding out his hand.

Knowing well how much a powerful ally like Wizz-Ra could help them, the cheetah decided to chance it and reached into the mirror, finding her hand was able to go through the glass with ease. She felt how first her fingers made contact with his, and how immediately he closed his hand around hers. For a moment, she feared he would drag her in, but found that she could pull him out with ease.

So she pulled as hard as she could, until a final flash of light emerged from the mirror and then Cheetara found him there, standing tall in front of her and still holding her hand gently inside his. Wizz-Ra, the sorcerer, had finally escaped the Seventh Dimension.

"It's nice to see you again, Cheetara," The white wizard greeted with a smile. "I need to talk to Lion-O, it's a matter of life and death."

_And in a distant world, the following events have been taking place..._

When she stepped out of the portal his master created, she found herself on a small plateau at the side of a frozen mountain. The sun was barely rising, but she could see stairs ahead and behind her, and to her right she could see nothing but icebergs floating on an endless sea. The woman stared at the portal and remembered she didn't have too long to finish her work here; deciding then that it was time to begin, WilyKat started going up the stairs, as it was the best and most logical option she had. She also knew she had to start moving; standing still would only make her far more vulnerable to the piercing, merciless cold that was already biting at her arms and legs.

After a long time, the young woman reached the end of the stairway, finding in front of her a massive opening adorned with many ice covered statues representing strange creatures. Upon closer inspection, she discovered the statues were of attractive women, and while most of them had fish tails instead of legs, others had legs and what appeared to be scale-covered wings. All of them, though, carried weapons as if preparing for war.

WilyKit focused then on the long corridor that snaked into the mountain, knowing that she was on the right path she prepared to enter the cave, not worrying about the darkness ahead of her. But just as she was about to do that, a cold hand stopped her. Turning quickly, ready to fight the stranger who had touched her, Kit found something that made her drop her guard. In front of her floated a translucent apparition who stared at her with great curiosity.

The ghost, a female one, wore full pirate gear down to the thigh high boots and only lacked a ridiculous feathered hat to complete the attire; instead she wore a tiara adorned with a crescent moon. This was an interesting development, and Kit wondered if this was the guardian of the sword she had come looking for.

"Who are you?" Mumm-Ra's concubine asked.

"Call me Soulmate," the spirit answered with a heavy accented voice as she hovered around WilyKit. "I am the guardian of the Dragon Fang, which I assume you are interested in. Am I wrong?"

"No, you aren't. That sword is precisely why I'm in this world," Kit stated. "And I expect you to tell me where to find it."

The ghost pirate smirked and held back a laugh. "Why would I help you? It's not as if you couldn't do it on your own. The sword's not so difficult to find, even, all you have to do is explore the Mermaids Cathedral, it will take you right to where the Dragon Fang rests, missy."

"If that's the case and it's so easy…" Kit started, her arms crossed while staring at the spirit with suspicious eyes. "Why don't you show me the way? Being a ghost hasn't affected your memory yet, has it?"

Soulmate couldn't hold back a laugh at Kit's last comment. "What a sassy little girl! It's been a long time since I've met someone like you!"

"Glad that you feel entertained. Will you take me to the sword, then?"

The ghost touched down and smiled mischievously. She would have preferred to send the girl into the frozen maze that was the Mermaid Temple so she could watch her freeze to death but on a second thought, she could use the newly arrived lass for something far more useful than a couple of days of amusement.

"Fine, lassie, I'll take you to the inner sanctum where the sword is. Follow me,"

Saying no more, the phantom walked into the cavern, using her eerie glow as a way to light the way for her companion, who was following her quite close and obviously still on her guard. Soulmate smirked again; other than the labyrinth-like corridors, there were no traps in the temple and she was not going to attack this girl, so she found it cute how distrustful she was.

A few minutes later, the ghost had led WilyKit to a large open space bathed by the morning sun. There was an altar on the other end of the room and behind it; a deep chasm could be seen. The sound of water hitting stone could be heard coming from the precipice, hinting that it led to a deep underwater cavern. there were also a few ice statues there, most of them of women but she could see a few men here and there which was strange since she had not seen any other representation of a male on the wall carvings they had seen while on the hallways.

"Those are not statues, if that is what you are wondering," Soulmate whispered on her ear, the spirit had taken to float around her again and appeared to greatly enjoy WilyKit's apparent doubt. "The Dragon Fang is very picky, little girl, and won't accept just anyone as its master. It has to be a very special person. Will you still take it? You could end up an ice statue like them."

It was now Kit's turn to smirk. "If you could do it, then I surely can. I came here for the sword, and it will be mine one way or the other."

"Pretty sure of ourselves, aren't we?" Soulmate laughed. "Fine, go and open that cabinet on top of the altar, the sword is inside."

WilyKit did as she was told, too busy with the anticipation she felt about finally having her own magic sword to care about the pirate ghost's constant mockery. She reached the white stone altar and found that the long, made of gold cabinet doors' were frozen shut, but thanks to her new strength she had no trouble opening them, revealing the sword that she so coveted to her.

The sword itself was quite admirable. Made of a white metal, its grip and pommel where of simple design but the cross-guard had been modeled so it resembled a dragon with closed wings, which formed a shield providing protection to the hand. The blade was thick on the base, and appeared to be extremely sharp. The length of the sword was deceivingly short, and WilyKit suspected it would extend to full length once the sword was awake.

Confidently, Kit reached for the weapon and held it at eye level to better look at it. For an instant nothing happened but suddenly, the sword started glowing with a silver light, and it also got extremely cold, to the point that her hand, and then her full arm, was encased in ice.

"What is the sword doing?" a slightly alarmed WilyKit demanded, looking back as she heard the ghost's mocking laughter.

"I did say the sword was very picky, didn't I?" Soulmate reminded Kit. "Only a warrior who can have a heart of ice in the battlefield can claim this sword. The sword has looked inside you and deemed you unworthy. Enjoy being an ice statue, lassie."

"No!" Kit shouted, her despair quickly replaced by a burning anger. "I won't let this happen! I must return to Thundera so I can send Lion-O to hell!"

The furious young woman tried to force her will into the sword, but it was useless, the Dragon Fang didn't relent, and the ice it created started biting on WilyKit's flesh. The frostbite was immediately countered by her dark blood, though, keeping the arm encased in ice but otherwise undamaged. That the sword refused to obey her not only made Kit furious, it also sparked an immense wave of hate inside her, it was cold and powerful and ignited her eyes red.

"I am your owner now!" WilyKit hissed at the sword, raising her arm and cracking the ice covering it as she did so. "You are mine! Mine!"

It was then, as it became aware of the cold hatred emanating from the woman holding it, that the sword finally surrendered to her will; a coldhearted female warrior it could tolerate and work with, but it was only to a woman with such darkness inside her and capable of such strong hate that the sword would willingly submit its full power to.

And so it did. The sword transformed with a flash of silver, the blade extended to full length and the dragon in the hilt spread its wings wide, forming a complete cross-guard. (7)

WilyKit felt it, a surge of power coming from the sword that was unlike anything she had ever experienced. She had felt the powerful holy lighting from the Sword of Omens, and had witnessed the evil might of the hell fire the Sword of Plundarr generated, but the energy coming from the Dragon Fang was different, it was… just as malevolent as her master's sword, but it was also extremely cold. She suddenly knew she could freeze anyone in a tomb of ice if she ever wanted to, and this made her feel much more powerful than before. It thrilled and excited her, and she showed this by laughing in triumph at the power she had just obtained.

"I-I can't believe it!" Soulmate, shocked and in absolute awe, gasped. "I could never make the sword change! Why aren't you frozen, why aren't you taking my place as the sword's guardian? You should be dead!"

"Stupid phantom," Kit snorted while returning the Dragon Fang to its dormant state with a quick flick of her wrist. "I am immortal; my body can't be hurt or killed! Did you really think the sword would not fully submit to me?"

"The sword should not have accepted you; you don't have a heart of ice!" the pirate wailed, knowing well that unless someone took her place as spirit guardian she would be doomed to roam Water-O's oceans for eternity.

"Perhaps I don't," Kit conceded as she walked towards the exit of the room. "But my hate for my enemies was apparently more than enough for the sword."

"That might be so, lassie, but the sword is not yours yet!" Soulmate warned. "The Dragon Fang chose you, but the Witch Queen who created it didn't like to share. You will now face the true guardian of the sword! It doesn't matter how immortal you think you are, the guardian will kill you and you shall take my place!"

Just as the scornful ghost finished her warning, the door leading back to the Cathedral closed and a deafening growl rose from the chasm.

To be continued...

Notes:

1- Mandora is an old ally of the Thundercats who first appeared on the chapter "Mandora the evil chaser. She is a first class officer of the ICF and has a high rank. It is only logical to assume she would be promoted during the time Lion-O spent inside the Book of Omens

2- Ro-Bear-Bill is the leader of the Berbils, a race of sentient robot bears from Third Earth. They are very good with machines and appeared in many episodes.

3- Snowman is the guardian and champion of the Snow Kingdom from Hook Mountain; he also appeared on a few episodes.

4- Nayda is the princess of the Warrior women, a group of amazon like females who live in Third Earth's forests. She and her sister Willa appeared in several episodes.

5- Hachiman is a powerful samurai and the owner of a sentient sword called the Thundercutter, which is strong enough to match the Sword of Omens and the Sword of Plundarr. The reference Hachiman makes in this chapter is from the second episode of the "Reclaiming Thundera" miniseries, where he had to travel to Thundera in order to get medicine for his father. He appeared in several episodes of the old cartoon.

6- Dr Dometone, mentioned in the chapter, is arguably Third Earth's greatest scientist. He appeared in a few episodes of the old show.

7- The cross-guard is a bar of metal at right angles to the blade, placed between the blade and the hilt. The cross-guard stops the wielder from punching shields while swinging the weapon, thereby protecting the user's hand.

Water-O is the main location from another Rankin-Bass show called the Tigersharks. Soulmate was one of the main villains from that show; she was a cunning pirate and an expert swordfighter.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Thundercats and all related characters don't belong to me.

Embracing Dark Desires.

By

Dr Facer

Chapter 12

-0-

Cheetara's room was crowded. After Wizz-Ra's arrival she had gone out to the hall and found Tygra carrying a teapot and cups in the hallway. After a quick explanation she asked him to gather every other Thundercat in her room for an emergency meeting and now all of them were there. Lion-O sat in a chair in front of Wizz-Ra, paying close attention to everything the wizard said. Pumyra sat on the left bed, staring at the white mage with great curiosity, which was not surprising since she hadn't met him before. Panthro stood by the door and leaned on the wall with his arms crossed, listening carefully to what was being said. Tygra and Cheetara sat together on the right side bed.

"…And that is how I came here; the Ancient Spirits of Goodness agreed to grant me my freedom in order for me to help them stop the evil threatening this world," Wizz-Ra concluded. He had spent a few minutes retelling his last meeting with his Holy masters and how they had finally released him from the Seventh Dimension.

The white wizard waited for his allies to reply, wondering if they would agree to help him carry the desires of the Ancient Spirits of Goodness. Despite how dire the situation was, Wizz-Ra's eyes were no longer tinted with the same fear and urgency as before, though one could still glimpse a hint of unrest in them. Now, what one could mostly see by looking at the ancient sorcerer was a veiled sadness and perhaps regret whenever his sight fell on the beautiful woman of the cheetah clan who had moved well beyond his reach.

"Is there some way we could help you?" Panthro inquired from his place near the door. "I'm sure we can work together to defeat Mumm-Ra. It wouldn't be the first time, right?"

"Panthro is right," Lion-O concurred. "If your goal is to stop Mumm-Ra we'll do all we can to assist you."

"The aid will be welcomed," Wizz-Ra smiled in honest appreciation. "The most important thing we need to do is to make sure our foe can't open his portal to the Underground again. I'm sure he'll try to do that very soon."

"What portal to the Underground?" Tygra interjected. "If you're talking about what I'm thinking, then Panthro and I took care of it; we blew up the arch and that should be enough to close it."

"Yes, you are correct. Since you destroyed the arch that acted as the key-point between realities the portal closed and it would normally be enough to keep it that way forever," the wizard agreed, his voice turning grave and somber as he continued. "Unfortunately, it takes time for the fabric of reality to become as strong as it was before Mumm-Ra tore it open, and you know that evil monster will take advantage of that fact to open his dimensional gate a second time."

"And that means…" Pumyra started, already fearing the worst.

Wizz-Ra took in a deep breath and lowered his eyes. "It means Mumm-Ra can still summon as many Demon Beasts as he desires unless we stop him."

"If he opens it again he could find even deadlier creatures to use against us," Pumyra realized while assessing the chances they had to defeat another attack similar to the previous one.

"We obviously can't let that happen," Cheetara said then, sitting straighter as she felt the need to do something surge through her. "What can be done to prevent this, Wizz-Ra?"

"I want to restore and strengthen the barriers between this plane of existence and the Underworld," the wizard responded. "To fulfill this task is one of the reasons why I was allowed to leave my prison… though doing so would take much of my power, which would leave me vulnerable afterwards."

"One of us could go with you and protect you," Lion-O offered. "I could even do it myself but… I'm afraid I can't afford to leave the city unprotected."

"As you can see, we aren't in the best of shapes," Cheetara admitted, a tint of shame in her voice. "Mumm-Ra's recent attacks have taken a toll on us."

"Indeed, the only Thundercat who's not injured is Lion-O," Panthro said. "Even Tygra and I are still recovering from almost being blown up."

"He _is_ injured," Pumyra interrupted then. "I gave him a strong anesthetic to keep his back pain at bay, but if he strains himself he could give himself a very nasty injury."

"You say the pain was only muscular!" a flabbergasted Lion-O exclaimed, turning to face the medic. "You said it wasn't serious!"

"And it's _not_ serious, as long as you don't go around fighting all of a sudden! I was counting on a shipment of Sanare fiber to use on you so that you would heal faster, but it won't arrive until early tomorrow," she responded, unflinching under the questioning gaze of the surprised monarch. "Look Lion-O, it's already worrying enough that you insisted in helping carrying the medicine, you fight again _now_ and you're risking tearing the muscles on your lower back and suffering permanent damage!"

"If you wish I'm sure I can help you," Wizz-Ra offered, cutting in on the conversation; he had noticed how uncomfortable the other Thundercats were getting and had decided to intervene in order to stop this useless friction between the king and the healer.

"Help us? What do you mean?" Cheetara inquired, taking this chance to try and distract both Lion-O and Pumyra from their rather rude exchange.

"I mean that I can heal everyone present in this shelter," the wizard declared, smiling softly at the cheetah. "It wouldn't be polite of me to ask for your assistance without giving you something in return… and it would be my honor to help you all."

"Can you really do that?" Lion-O rejoined, his attention no longer on the healer. "I would truly appreciate it if you could."

"I can make a potion that will heal any wound, no matter how severe, if I could get my hands on the right ingredients," Wizz-Ra explained. "Even if this isn't Third Earth, I'm sure your healer will be able to provide me with herbs equivalent to those I will need, and I'm confident that she already has them here."

"Of course! And if you need one we don't have I can arrange for it to be brought here in no time!" Pummyra offered enthusiastically as she stood and approached the holy wizard. "Can we start now?"

"It will take me an hour to prepare the potion and one more before you can actually use it," Wizz-Ra warned. "So perhaps you wish to go and close the portal first?"

"There are people here who might not last the night, Lion-O," Pummyra interjected, not revealing that besides her desire to help the wounded, her other interest in the potion was helping O-Celot heal so she could ease the guilt she still felt over his wounds. "I suggest we obtain this medicine before we do anything else; we need more people to protect the city, don't we?"

Lion-O was not expecting to have this choice thrown at him so suddenly for while he could see the importance of going to close the portal right away, he also wanted his people to be healed. Not willing to fully listen to his heart the king looked to his right side where the other three Thundercats were. A glance at Cheetara's leg and the cane she kept close was all it took for Lion-O to remember Aliona and how she also got hurt because he had not been there to protect everyone. Guilt swelled up inside him, which made him think about the other wounded Thunderians in the shelter and how it was his duty as their king to make sure they were safe; a duty he had not excelled at by any means since before he entered the Book of Omens.

It was no surprise to the other Thundercats, who had noticed the guilty look on their King's face, when they heard what his decision was.

"Please Wizz-Ra, make the potion for us," Lion-O pleaded. "I swear I'll go with you anywhere else afterwards but heal my people first. That's all I ask in exchange of my help."

The ancient sorcerer stared at the Thunderian king and for a moment, tempted to request they close the dimensional fissure immediately, but the almost tangible guilt Wizz-Ra felt emanating from the lion was all it took to convince the wizard of the need to help the people here before doing anything else. Besides, the Ancient Spirits of Goodness had sent him here both to close Mumm-Ra's portal and to help the Thunderians any way he could; it was fortunate, then, that the Spirits did not ask him to do those things in any certain order.

"Very well, Lion-O," Wizz-Ra agreed. "I'll prepare the potion for you."

Amidst the thanks of Lion-O and the other Thundercats, Pumyra led the holy wizard to the medical storage room.

_Later_…

Lion-O stopped by to look into the kitchen of the shelter, where Wizz-Ra and Pumyra had ended up working together. The wizard was using a large metallic pot to create a concoction which was far from pleasant-smelling. The holy mage focused on mixing herbs while reciting several incantations and constantly asking the Thundercat healer for herbs that he added to the mix. His curiosity sated and not wanting to interrupt the work of the sorcerer, the young king retreated to the hallway and returned to the common area, intending to give the people working there a hand.

Back in the room Wizz-Ra reached for a handful of Redmark root which he promptly crushed with both hands before tossing it into the pot along a new incantation, something Pumyra had noted he did every time he added a new ingredient. The puma was memorizing the many herbs and roots the wizard was using for his medicine (which had required virtually everything she had in stock), and while she knew that the ingredients Wizz-Ra had asked for each possessed many medicinal uses, she was certain that she could never recite spells like the white wizard had while mixing them, which she was willing to bet were the key to making the potion as potent as the holy mage had promised. Still the doctor was sure that if she used this same recipe she could make a very powerful medicine, good enough to treat several serious conditions even if it lacked the magical element Wizz-Ra was enchanting the potion with.

"It's almost done," Wizz-Ra announced. "Even now this is a very potent medicine."

"I noticed that, yes," the puma smiled. "A shame I can't use magic to power it up like you did."

"The spells I've used so far are nothing but means to prepare every ingredient to release its full healing potential," the white wizard indicated. "The most important step, the one that will turn this medication into a truly magic potion capable of healing any wound is the next spell, the one that will transform this into a true elixir of healing."

"That's the name of this potion, isn't it?" the healer guessed, "The Elixir of Healing?"

"Yes, it is," Wizz-Ra confirmed as he proceeded to sink his fingers into the hot liquid. He closed his eyes as he started reciting a series of verses in an ancient language Pumyra had never heard before. His hands started to glow and so did the potion. When the holy wizard finished the spell, the medicine had changed from a bubbling, brown liquid full of pieces of plants into a clear, thick, golden solution which reminded the healer of recently collected honey.

"I must thank you for your first rate ingredients, they helped make it better than usual. Be careful with it, I believe this is the last time I'll have the opportunity to prepare something like this."

"I promise to be careful. How much should we give to our wounded?"

"A fair question," Wizz-Ra conceded, reaching for a tablespoon he found nearby. "Let the potion rest for an hour. After that administer one spoonful of it for non-life threatening wounds; two for those suffering or recovering from grave injuries."

Pumyra did some quick calculations and came to an alarming conclusion. "There's barely enough… by the time I give all the wounded a dose, we'll be almost out of elixir."

"I'm sorry," Wizz-Ra regretted, hiding the fact that using the spell which powered the elixir had required him to use a small, yet still sizable, portion of his power. "I wish I could have prepared more for you but this is all I can do with the herbs you had here."

"No need to mention it, I'm… I'm sorry if I sound too pushy," the healer apologized. "It's just that we have so many people here who need help…"

"I trust the Elixir I made will be enough for everybody," Wizz-Ra assured. "But please, make sure you save at least two spoonfuls of it. I have the feeling you will need them for one of us before the night is over."

Not liking the foreboding omen the white wizard had shared with her, all Pumyra could do was offer him a nod.

"Good, now if you'll excuse me, I need to talk to Lion-O."

Wizz-Ra then left the kitchen, hoping to quickly find the lord of the Thundercats. He crossed paths with Tygra as he entered the corridor, but neither he nor the tiger exchanged any words and simply nodded at each other, as both had their minds busy with very different situations that demanded their full attention: the well-being of the woman he loved for the tiger, and the permanent closing of that dimensional crack for the wizard.

_Back at Cheetara's room…_

The tension in the room was almost palpable and it was making Panthro extremely uncomfortable. Tygra had gone to prepare Cheetara some SweetLeaf tea in order to help her sleep, leaving him and the woman he loved alone. Panthro had been planning on telling the cheetah about the talk he and Tygra had shared earlier but now that he had the chance to do so he was finding that this was probably the most difficult thing he had ever attempted.

"Panthro… can we talk?" Cheetara, not leaving her seat by the window, called with a faint whisper. "There is something… something I need to… confess."

"You don't have to say a thing," Panthro offered, struggling against the sadness in his heart and keeping it at bay as best as he could. "I already know."

"You know about…?"

"Tygra. Yes, I know, I heard you both," he confirmed in a low voice. "I wish I could say it's not tearing me apart inside, but that would be a lie."

"I-I'm sorry," the cheetah started, pain evident in her voice as she tried to put her feelings into words. "Panthro, we can… we can try it again if you want… Tygra and I haven't… we haven't done anything… I could try to…"

"Cheetara," the engineer interrupted, standing up and walking to her side, "as much as I would like for us to be together… you and I know our time is done."

"But… I don't want to hurt you."

Panthro reached and softly cupped her face in his hand, caressing her as gently as he could. He immediately wished he hadn't done that. The truth that he would never be able to hold her in his arms or touching her and feeling her warmth like this was almost too much for him to bear! Still, he had to be strong for her; strong enough to let her go because he knew quite well she was capable of sacrificing her own happiness for his, and the last thing Panthro wanted was to see her miserable. With that indisputable truth firmly in mind he was finally able to release her.

"It would hurt me more if you force yourself to be with me," he finally confessed. "I… talked to Tygra about this earlier… he reacted like you are reacting now, and that is why I asked him."

"You asked him… what?"

"If he truly loved you," Panthro revealed, retrieving his hand. "And something tells me I should ask the same question to you, Cheetara… do you love him?"

"I…" Cheetara hugged herself and closed her eyes, not ready to see how the panther standing in front of her would react to what she was about to admit. "I do love him. I love Tygra so much. Ever since I was a cub I've always… I've always felt something special that links me to him. I just never realized until recently what that feeling really was. I-I'm sorry, Panthro… I wish things could be different, but…"

"I never had a chance, did I?" Panthro mused then, the half smile on his lips failing to keep the sadness he felt hidden.

"Why are you torturing yourself like this?" the woman asked, the pain in Panthro's face driving a knife through her chest.

"Because I discovered today that I am the one who can let go," the engineer replied, his words sounding more confident than before despite the sorrow still mixed within. "I spent the day working in the new power generator and thinking about this situation. That is when I realized that I'm the one who can let go."

"What are you trying to say? I don't understand."

"I think you and Tygra can't let go, Cheetara," Panthro told her. The Thunderian paused and prepared to do what had to be done. When he felt confident his voice and resolve would not break, he steeled himself and said the words which would free her.

"The bond you share is just too strong, so strong I'm convinced your souls belong to each other. I've seen the avoided glances, the caring in both your eyes. I'm certain that if something were to keep you apart now… it would only make you both suffer, and I… I don't wish that for either of you. He is my best friend and you… I simply want you to be happy with the one your heart belongs to, Cheetara… I care for you both, and I only want the best for you."

The cheetah couldn't find words to respond to what the panther had just told her; all she could do then was to walk up to him and hug him.

"Thank you," Cheetara finally muttered after several minutes of embracing Panthro in gratitude for what he had just done. "I will never forget this…"

Panthro broke the hug and gently pushed the woman back. He caressed her face one last time and then walked to the door of her room. He had no reason to be there anymore, and he wanted to leave before Tygra returned, which would be for the best.

"As long as you find happiness, I will be well rewarded."

With these words Panthro left the room at last, leaving Cheetara sad having causing him pain but also relieved that their separation happened like this, with both of them remaining friends.

In the hallway Panthro brought a hand up to dry a single tear which had started to slide down his face. The panther had no time for further lamentations, as Lion-O entered the corridor and rushed to meet him…

_Meanwhile, in the desert near the Black Pyramid…_

Cool wind swept over the hard, crystalline surface which extended across the desert like a semi-buried jewel sticking up from the sand. It had appeared here when Tygra and Panthro had detonated their mightiest bomb, melting the sand into crystal and completely destroying the majestic arch which Mumm-Ra had used to create a gate to the world of darkness. For the Thundercats the destruction of the large construction had been a difficult victory; a victory the demon priest was not willing to allow them.

"I must admit what those felines did here is actually impressive," Mumm-Ra, in his ever living warrior form, acknowledged as his eyes roamed the crystallized sand. "A shame they survived the blast, but that detail will be remedied soon enough."

The dark wizard lowered the torch he carried and looked behind him. He noticed his disciple didn't appear to be as interested as he was in their surroundings; he was simply staring in the direction of the Dark Pyramid. "She will be here soon. And until then I need you to pay close attention to what I'm about to do. This is an important lesson you need to learn, so clear your mind of all distractions!"

WilyKat, actually afraid of waking his master's wrath, cursed himself for allowing his mind to wander and turned to face Mumm-Ra immediately. "I'm truly sorry for my lapse of attention, my lord, I promise it won't happen again."

"Make sure it doesn't," the wizard intoned gravely. "I will do this only once, so you had better memorize the way I manipulate the magic energies around us, is that clear?"

"Yes, it is."

"Good. Now watch, my son, and learn." With this invitation, the dark wizard dropped his torch and started to move his hands deliberately slower than he normally would when casting a spell, an effective way to show his student his movements.

And WilyKat did not waste this lesson. He also threw his torch to the ground and concentrated on silently memorizing and imitating the gestures his master did, moving his fingers just like the other sorcerer did but without summoning any magical energy to him in order to avoid disrupting the spell his mentor was preparing.

Then, with a final twist of his wrist, Mumm-Ra shot his right hand forward, unleashing a blast of golden energy which cracked reality itself in the same place the portal had been, opening it once again. The devil priest followed this movement by spreading his arms as wide as he could, the size of the portal growing exponentially as he did so.

"And this is how you channel the residual energy of the spell used to pierce reality and reopen a closed dimensional portal when the physical door has been destroyed," the evil immortal asserted. "Do you have any questions?"

"No, I have it," Kat assured, repeating again the same gestures Mumm-Ra had just made.

"Excellent, make sure you don't forget this."

"I promise I won't forget it, my lord," Kat nodded to himself. "What will we do now, sire?"

"We gather an army" the ever living one revealed. "An army that will unleash such horrors it will make Lion-O wish he had never been born!"

Mumm-Ra's laughter filled the night as a horde of Demon Beasts began crawling out of the portal, surrounding him and his disciple and waiting obediently for his commands, just like a loyal army would. The dark wizard allowed this to continue until the last of his infernal creatures slid out of the portal.

"It's time I stop playing games and recover control of my world," Mumm-Ra announced solemnly. "It doesn't matter how much Lion-O and his Thundercats fight, they can't defeat an army of Gadruul this big."

"By the time they are through, the Capital City will be nothing but ashes," WilyKat agreed while looking in awe at the hundreds of Demon Bests his master had summoned. "And there should still be enough slaves left to rebuild the cities in your image, my lord."

"Indeed," Mumm-Ra said, greatly pleased by the way in which his disciple thought. "And when it does I shall take the Sword of Omens from Lion-O's crushed corpse! At last, I will be able to corrupt the Eye of Thundera and use it to expand my influence to worlds without end!"

This vow made the dark wizard shifted his focus to the Demon Beasts around him, appreciating the way they all had knelt in reverence, waiting for his commands in silent anticipation. This wasn't surprising, as Mumm-Ra had destroyed their previous master a few years ago, earning the right to command the Gadruul until he himself was defeated in front of the beasts by someone more powerful and evil, an event highly unlikely to occur any time soon, especially as Mumm-Ra had gazed into the Underworld months ago and had found that the Demon Lord who ruled over it was still in a deep sleep.

"Will we attack the city now, milord?" the young wizard asked, bringing his master back to reality.

"No, we won't; not all pieces are in place yet," Mumm-Ra answered, placing aside his thoughts about the Lord of the Underworld. "But those pieces will be ready soon, and then we shall strike!"

"Forgive me, master… but I don't understand," Kat said, confused by the mummy's refusal to obliterate the Capital. "We have the numbers now and the Thundercats are weak… isn't this the perfect time to destroy them?

"It does seem that way, doesn't it?" Mumm-Ra countered. "You're still impatient, boy. There are things that must be done before we launch our final attack on them."

"What things?" the disciple pressed. "Is it my sister? Are we waiting for her?"

"I admit it would be a shame if your sister misses a chance to be involved in this battle, but her presence is not the reason I want to wait," the mummy replied. "I'm afraid you can't know my reasons, my son… but I assure you they are important and once I've dealt with them, we'll be able to destroy the Thundercats without fearing an attack from a second front."

WilyKat crossed his muscular arms and mentally analyzed the situation. The only real threat he could come up with would be… "Is it Wizz-Ra and the Ancient Spirits of Goodness?"

Mumm-Ra laughed and placed a firm hand on his disciple's broad shoulder. "You really are clever, my boy! You are right, that pest from the Seventh Dimension will try something very soon, and he could ask his masters to do something like sending Mumm-Rana here."

"Yes, I'm concerned about what _some_ Ancient Spirits might do," the evil wizard continued his gaze drifting back on the direction of the Black Pyramid. "And we will not attack until I'm absolutely sure _they_ will not interfere, and I'm certain arranging that won't be easy."

"If it's that difficult… do you think there is a way for me to help you?"

Mumm-Ra was honestly surprised by the concern and willingness he identified in the voice of his student. The demon priest could not recall the last time someone had expressed those emotions while addressing him, and it left him momentarily speechless.

"I'm afraid you're not ready for that yet, my son," Mumm-Ra looked at his disciple for a moment, still not really believing how eager the boy was to help him, or the worry he saw in those eyes. This was completely alien to the wizard and it made him feel strangely proud and satisfied.

"Something's coming this way," WilyKat announced suddenly, having noticed a glittering object in the sky that approached their location. "Perhaps my sister came back early?"

"Your sister hasn't crossed the vortex I made to Water-O; I would have felt it closing after she did. There is only other person who knew we would be here, have you forgotten?" the dark wizard reminded WilyKat.

"Calico, I expected her to be here later and not to come here using a… spaceboard?"

"It appears she borrowed either your or your sister's toy," Mumm-Ra nodded. "Either way, I am pleased that she arrives soon, I have something very important for her to do."

Not too long after Mumm-Ra went to inspect the Demon Beasts WilyKat saw her arrive in his Space Board, just like his master had guessed. She hovered above him for an instant, eerily beautiful in her black and grey clothes, her raven wing hair flowing freely to the wind, the pale moonlight granting her features a glow which made her shine like a deadly angel of the night. After an instant she lowered the board until it was almost at the level of the ground.

"I'm here, my love," she greeted him with a soft smile while extending her hand to him. "Help me down, please?"

"With pleasure," Kat responded doing as she requested. "I didn't know you could ride a Space Board."

"Neither did I, but these artifacts are easier to ride than I expected," the huntress replied.

"Come closer, children," the dark wizard called suddenly from where he stood surrounded by the deadly Demon Beasts. "I have work for both of you."

Obeying one gesture given by the ancient mummy, the Demon Beasts lowered their heads in servitude and moved to open a path so the wizard apprentice and the vampyr could approach their dark lord. Once the couple stood in front of him Mumm-Ra addressed the huntress first.

"My legion of Gadruul is now under your command, huntress. You will lead them to the forest surrounding the Thunderian Capital where they will hide and wait until I give you the order to attack," he said as he motioned for Calico to look at the beasts. "You will raze the city to the ground once I say the word. You will guide my army as they kill the weak, the old and the wounded, but make sure to spare the children and the healthy adults, for we will need new slaves once the war is over. Do you have any questions?"

"No, my lord," Calico assured him. "Your orders are clear. I shall take your Demon warriors to me and we will win the battle for you. However… what are your commands for the Thundercats, should I destroy them too?"

"No, if they are still in the city, you are to drive them into a corner and then capture them if you can," Mumm-Ra ordered.

"They won't defend the city?" the vampire inquired. "That is certainly out of character for them."

"I have foreseen the Thundercat nobles will choose to do battle with me directly, huntress," the wizard revealed with an annoyed tone. "For that same reason, you will need only to focus on the orders I gave you: Destroy, purge and capture!"

"As you wish, my lord," Calico, afraid of angering her master, said as she bowed and took a step back. She knew the dark wizard was now about to talk to her beloved and she did not want to interrupt their conversation.

"For you, my son, I have a very different, but very important task," Mumm-Ra started, placing a hand on his disciple's shoulder. "You will remain here and guard this location. I feel Wizz-Ra is already in New Thundera, and I also know the first thing he will try to do is to close our portal for good. It will be your duty to stop him and to bring his head to my throne."

Before, WilyKat would have expressed doubt about his ability to defeat or even hurt the holy mage Wizz-Ra; now, however, the young Thunderian felt confident that he could carry out his master's orders without failing and he, in fact, was already pleasurably anticipating the opportunity to test his new power and his own dark magic against a worthy opponent.

"It will be done, my lord. Wizz-Ra shall die here," Kat promised. "I won't fail you."

"I know you won't," the mummy agreed. "You have grown strong, strong enough to challenge that pest. I trust you will make me proud…"

Mumm-Ra paused, having felt a small flux in the power balance inside the Black Pyramid which caused his attention to go from his disciple to what had happened inside his home. For a moment he feared the Ancient Spirits of Evil were behind this, but he soon relaxed. The Spirits were not responsible for what he had felt. The change he felt had come from the vortex he had opened earlier. Someone was coming through, and he knew quite well what that meant: his kitten was about to return.

"Is something wrong, master?" WilyKat asked, his gaze too fixated on the pyramid, though his senses were not yet advanced enough to feel the small imbalance his master had detected.

"Your sister will return from Water-O soon," Mumm-Ra informed. "But don't worry, I'll send her here to meet you."

WilyKat, who had not expected to be given permission to return to the Pyramid along with his master, nodded in agreement. He could not leave his post until Wizz-Ra had been taken care off. At least his sister would come to see him soon, which eased his mind and allowed him to keep his mission in mind.

"I would appreciate that, my lord," the young wizard stated.

"And I would appreciate that you do what I requested," the wizard reminded his apprentice and the huntress before vanishing in a gust of wind.

Once alone Calico approached her lover again, hugging him from behind so she could feel him close to her once more. It had been too long since she had felt his warmth and she couldn't stop herself. "I'm sure you will be victorious when you face that Wizz-Ra person, my beloved."

"And I know your mission will be successful as well," WilyKat replied, reaching for her hands so he could hold them between his. "I'm confident I'll finish here before you attack the city, and with some luck I'll be able to join you there."

"I would like that very much, my love," she purred in his ear. "Fighting side by side with you will be a first, and I'm sure it will be a magnificent experience."

Kat turned so he was facing Calico and held her by the shoulders. "Let me look at you again… It has been so long… so long. I never forgot about you, Calico. You are so beautiful."

She caressed his face and smiled tenderly at him. "You're so kind, WilyKat. I will never be able to repay you for bringing me back, or for loving me the way you do… I don't deserve you."

"It is I who don't deserve you," Kat corrected, briefly remembering the way he had gained her love, but having her in his arms made it easy for him to forget what he did to her and dismiss any lingering remorse. He had Calico's heart, she truly loved him, it felt right and that was all that mattered to the dark wizard. "But I'll make sure that I'm worthy of having you, my love."

"You already are," she whispered at him as she once again embraced him and slowly rose to meet his lips with hers, kissing him deeply, hungrily, trying to make up for the time they had lost.

WilyKat broke the kiss gently and took in a deep breath, smiling as he enjoyed the smell of her scent. "Parting ways will just be more difficult after this."

"It's only a temporary situation," she reminded him, running her fingers over his sculpted chest. "The Thundercats will fall soon, and after that we will be able to stay together as much as we want."

"I'm looking forward to that," he told her as he picked up the torch he had discarded before, which by some miracle still burned. "I wish that you could stay, but I believe it is better if you take the Gadruul to the Capital. I don't think we should test lord Mumm-Ra's patience."

"Agreed," the huntress nodded, glancing at the army of Demon Beasts waiting for her at the entrance of the imposing crag not too far ahead. "The master still trusts me; I'd hate to lose his favor."

Saying nothing else she hopped on WilyKat's spaceboard and hovered to where the monsters waited. She did spare a second to wave the magic-user goodbye before entering the serpentine road between the tall cliffs that separated the desert from the extensive forests and fertile lands on the other side, lands which would soon would be theirs to rule again.

Once alone Kat looked around and not finding an adequate place to sit used his magic to raise part of the crystallized ground in front of him. It was not comfortable, but it was much better than sitting on the sand. The young mage set his fire at his feet, then closed his eyes and waited for Wizz-Ra to arrive. He began to ponder the current situation. Kat had no doubt that Mumm-Ra would win back control over the planet, and he was also absolutely sure that his master would be successful in corrupting the power of the Eye of Thundera, so instead of that, his thoughts wandered over more earthly matters, such as the number of slaves that would be left after the Capital was retaken and how that would affect production at the Thundainium mines or if people from the farms would need to be brought in. If the numbers of Thunderians ended up being too low, Kat was sure that some could be captured in nearby worlds or even taken from Third Earth.

"Third Earth…" WilyKat mused, wondering then if Mumm-Ra would choose to return there once the Thundercats were defeated. He decided that it was quite possible his master would not go there again, which made the apprentice wonder if his mentor would mind if he went there in his place. Perhaps, Kat rationalized, since Mumm-Ra would rule New Thundera along with WilyKit, he and Calico could go and rule Third Earth in his name. After all conquering that planet and destroying all opposition should not be difficult and even if Third Earth's holy guardian Mumm-Rana resisted, Kat trusted his lord would be all too glad to help him crush the female mummy permanently.

His mind filled with these dark thoughts of death, conquest and glory, the gifted apprentice continued waiting for his prey.

_In the Thunderian shelter..._

It took Wizz-Ra longer than he felt comfortable with to find Lion-O, who had gone from the medical area to the shelter's garage to help unpack some supplies which had just arrived from Port City. That unnerved the wizard a bit, as he didn't want to give Mumm-Ra more time to reopen the portal to the Underworld.

When he located the young king Wizz-Ra found him giving instructions to another Thunderian, so the wizard waited until Lion-O had sent his subject away before approaching him.

"The medicine you requested is complete," Wizz-Ra informed the ruler. "The ingredients still have to mix with the magic properly, and that will take another hour. Don't worry; I already gave your healer the instructions necessary to use it."

Lion-O smiled and placed his hand on the wizard's shoulder. "Thank you, Wizz-Ra. You have my gratitude."

"You're welcome, Lion-O," the white wizard said before turning serious. "I did what you requested, my friend. Is it possible now that you will go with me to close the portal to the Underworld?"

The royal lion had not forgotten about his promise, but was still torn because he did not want to leave the shelter unprotected. "Is it necessary that we do that tonight?"

Wizz-Ra gave him a nod. "If possible, yes. It has to be done quickly!"

"Forgive me Wizz-Ra, but is there something you aren't telling me?" the king asked, as he felt the wizard was not being entirely honest. "I understand your desire to do this before Mumm-Ra can summon a large quantity of Demon Beasts, but I don't think the Ancient Spirits of Goodness sent you here just to do that. You know you can trust me, so please tell me what's bothering you."

"…I can't find where the portal was on my own as fast as I would like to, Lion-O," the white wizard admitted after a moment of hesitation. "It would take me hours to find it and we don't have that long. But the Eye of Thundera can give you sight beyond sight, allowing you to find the rift instantly."

"And that is the reason why we can't do that tomorrow, Wizz-Ra?" Lion-O pressed on, "Something tells me there's more, am I wrong?"

"…Yes, yes there is more," Wizz-Ra sighed, deciding it was for the best to be fully honest with the sovereign of the Thunderians. "Mumm-Ra is not the worst part of the problem with the rift between realities; there are beings in the Underworld who could… no, make that _will _open the gate when the opportunity presents itself."

"I doubt anything in the Underworld is worse than Mumm-Ra and the Ancient Spirits of Evil."

"Do not underestimate your possible enemies, Lion-O," Wizz-Ra warned. "You can't begin to fathom the horrors hidden in the depths of the Underworld."

"Horrors?" the lion inquired, intrigued by Wizz-Ra's affirmations and wondering if things more terrible than Mumm-Ra and his evil gods could possibly exist. "What types of horrors?"

"Terrible things, Lion-O, terrible and powerful things, and I've seen them firsthand," the white wizard revealed. "You already know how fearsome the Gadruul, or Demon Beasts as you call them, are in battle. And I am sure you understand that unless we close that rift Mumm-Ra will never stop sending wave after wave of Gadruul against you."

"We might be able to do something about that," Lion-O offered. "Panthro has been developing this machine, an Anti-Magic Field Generator he devised. He only started actually building it a week or so ago, but his first prototype is almost complete. If it works as Panthro expects, the generator will neutralize, absorb and use for itself any type of magic cast against it. I assure you that if we install it around the portal, it will keep it contained, and the force field will stop any living being, magic or not, from crossing it, too. That is why I think we can keep the portal under control while you close it; you don't need to be so concerned about this."

"Could that mechanism stop an army of the malevolent Yigkin, a devious race of insectoid demons which wield powerful magic? Or what about their King, the Demon Lord Tatsoughee, who is much more powerful than the four Ancient Spirits of Evil combined? Could Panthro's Anti-Magic Field contain that?" Wizz-Ra questioned, not truly believing a machine could ever hold back a Demon Lord as powerful as Tatsoughee.

"It is them I'm here to stop, Lion-O. Tatsoughee and his minions rose from their sleep two nights ago and they will soon find the remains of the portal! For Tatsoughee it will be child's play to use that rift as the means to open the portal again. He will take this as the perfect chance to invade this dimension! Do you really want to trade one evil for another that is much, much worse?"

Lion-O remained silent at this revelation; he had never truly considered a possibility such as Wizz-Ra described, and merely contemplating it was sending chills down his spine. Mumm-Ra alone had managed to almost defeat them and drive them to extinction. Thinking what someone far more powerful and evil than the mummy and his masters would do to his people was almost too much for the king to even imagine.

"Lion-O," Wizz-Ra called. "I urge you to come with me so we can seal the dimensional rift before it's too late."

The king turned to face the wizard, still afraid of leaving the capital unprotected. "What if the Demon Beasts attack while I'm not here? We're not ready to fight them!"

"Did you not call for help today?" The wizard asked. "Pumyra told me your allies from Third Earth should be here in a matter of hours. Please, Lion-O… it's barely past midnight! If we work together we can be back before sunrise."

For a moment, which felt too long for both men, Lion-O simply stood there in silence, weighing his options until finally he nodded at the wizard. "Fine, Wizz-Ra. We will go to close the portal now."

"I'm grateful for this," the wizard nodded back. "I know it is troubling you so I promise not to keep you away from the city any longer than necessary."

"That would be appreciated, but don't forget I'm in your debt for making us the healing potion," the king replied with a weak, but sincere smile. "I'll ask Panthro to finish that Anti-Magic Field, it will be best if the machine is complete and operational before sunrise; I'll feel safer… Should the Gadruul attack before we're back perhaps the Anti-Magic Field will be capable of keeping those beasts at bay."

"Understandable, I'll wait here while you do that. I'm sorry to say this, but please hurry."

"I will, don't worry," Lion-O replied as he entered the shelter again.

A few minutes later the young king reentered the garage. "Done, Panthro will take care of finishing the Anti-Magic Field. With some luck he'll have it completed in less than three hours."

"If all goes well we won't be gone for that long," the wizard assured. "So… what vehicle will we use?"

"You can't teleport us there?"

"I could if I knew the exact location where the portal used to be," Wizz-Ra explained. "Since I don't, using a teleporting spell is not an option. I'm sorry."

Lion-O sighed in defeat. "Fine, if you don't mind the wind, we'll use one of the Sky Cutters."

And so the White Wizard of Third Earth and the ruler of New Thundera left the Capital in order to complete the mission given to the holy mage by the Ancient Spirits of Goodness. Lion-O hoped they would not need too long to finish this quest so he could return to his people, while Wizz-Ra grew somber and more pensive as they approached the desert, hoping that the holy spirits he served would not abandon him now.

_And in the frozen Mermaid Cathedral of planet Water-O…_

"It doesn't matter how immortal you are, lassie!" Soulmate warned, her phantasmal voice resonating above the deafening roar rising from the pit. "There is no way you can defeat the Dragolem!"

WilyKit did not reply for the room was filled with a cold fog which chilled her bones and suddenly, with a final howl, the beast climbed out of the chasm. The thing was immense, its thick, serpentine neck snaking high into the air, terminating in a massive head where two eyes shone with endless malevolence. The rest of the thing's body, hidden by the cold mist, hinted at a large and solid mass resting on thick, powerful legs.

The thing hollered with earth-shaking force, clearing the freezing fog and revealing its gigantic form. Before her WilyKit found an abomination born of magic, a gargantuan dragon formed of ice and many large pieces of stone, the final guardian of the sword of ice she had just claimed, the deadly Dragolem.

"I hope you enjoy being ripped into pieces, I'm sure not even you can survive that!" Soulmate taunted and, not waiting for a response, vanished, her mocking laughter the last thing Kit heard before the beast fixated on her.

"You shouldn't be so certain about that…" Kit whispered, her eyes not leaving the creature in front of her, waiting for the moment it decided to attack her.

And attack her it did. With a roar the Dragolem twisted its neck back and shot its head down, jaws open and icy fangs gleaming like diamonds, to where WilyKit stood. The creature aimed to swallow Kit whole, and its gaping maw was certainly large enough to accomplish the task.

The impact was terrible; the head of the Dragolem cracked the ground and lifted a cloud of snow which covered him momentarily. But when the monster's head rose, it saw that its intended victim was neither inside its jaws nor a broken figure writhing in pain within a blood-stained crater. Roaring in frustration the creature turned its head from side to side, searching for the one who had stolen the sword it protected.

Kit had jumped away at the last moment, sliding behind the altar where the Dragon Fang had been locked and was now considering her options as to how she could best deal with the beast which was trying to crush her into pulp. The female warrior was no stranger to fighting golems, as she had battled with and destroyed plenty of Mumm-Ra's Rock Soldiers in the past, but she had never faced one as large as this Dragolem.

WilyKit didn't have time to think of a proper strategy, for the creature found her almost immediately and swung its tail at her with startling speed, crushing her along with the altar she had been using for cover. Kit found herself trapped not just under the rubble of the altar, but also pressed down by the weight of the monster's freezing tail.

She hated this. It made her feel weak and defenseless, reminding her too much of the humiliation she had recently suffered at Lion-O's hands. Then there was also the pain, sharply biting at her right arm and leg while her body struggled to heal the damage as quickly as it could.

Then the pressure keeping her pinned to the ground vanished and Kit was able to look up just in time to see the Dragolem's tail arc high into the air, ready to crush her again. She tried to regain her feet but she was rewarded with a flash of pain for her efforts. Still she couldn't just stay there and allow the creature to hurt her again. A sliver of genuine fear lodged inside of her as the tail started its descent.

Rock met rock with a loud crash, and the Dragolem roared in triumph as its tail lifted a new cloud of dust from the point of impact. But then the beast's roar of celebration changed to a furious snarl. To his right, leaning on the wall but somehow managing to stand, was the thief it had imagined was now nothing but a mangled corpse beneath its tail!

WilyKit had forced her body to react, and thanks to her left leg being in a much better condition than her right one, she had managed to jump out of harm's way at the last second. Now, even though she could barely stand, she showed herself defiantly to the monster, ready to pay it back somehow for hurting her. To Kit's advantage was the fact that her dark blood, now covering most of her right side like black tendrils of solid night, was almost finished repairing the damage the Dragolem had caused her; it would be just a matter of seconds before she was fully healed.

Seconds the Dragolem was not willing to give her. With a great roar it charged, large claws thundering as they hit the ground, ready to bite its victim in half. Kit, her body still repairing the damage, waited where she stood; her leg was almost completely healed and when the creature's jaws were close enough she tensed and jumped as high as she could. A quick spin in midair allowed her to land safely on the draconian golem's side, from where she vaulted until she reached the base of the monster's neck. WilyKit quickly crouched once she was there, and grabbed a firm hold on the cracks between the rocks that formed the Dragolem's body.

"You don't like this, do you?" Kit mocked as the creature trashed around in an effort to shake her off of him. WilyKit had noticed that the creature's body, made of rock for the most part, lacked the flexibility which would have allowed it to twist its neck all the way where she was now perching and waiting for her body to finish healing. The Dragolem then did something she already expected, and smashed its body against the wall to their right, hoping to get rid of her this way, something that Kit found easy to avoid as she simply climbed to the opposite side of the beast before the impact, remaining relatively safe.

Her pain stopped then, and a quick look confirmed to Kit that her wounds had all healed. Making sure to climb to the other side of the beast to avoid being crushed on the wall, the young warrior decided it was time to take this monster down once and for all, something she already had an idea of to how to do. WilyKit had fought several golems in the past and was well aware of their strengths and weaknesses; she knew Golems couldn't feel pain or fear, something that made them relentless fighters who would not stop until the magic animating the materials they were constructed of faded. The spells used to give life to golems, Kit remembered, tended to last for either a ridiculously short time, for centuries or even forever. It was obvious, then, that the spell powering this golem was of the permanent type.

"If that's the case, there must be a power source inside the Dragolem that I'll need to destroy…" Mumm-Ra's concubine reasoned, her eyes scanning the creature's body, trying to find anything which would hint at the magical source of the monster's artificial life. "But where is it?"

Just then, as if it had listened to her and wanted to flaunt how inaccessible its weakness was, the Dragolem answered her question by twisting its head back and opening its jaws wide, revealing a shining orb right where its throat should have been. Hitting the glowing sphere, however, would not be easy, for the monster exhaled a gust of cold energy at her which blasted her back to the ground, covering her with a mountain of sharp hoarfrost which pierced her skin like steel needles.

Which, compared to surviving being crushed by the Dragolem's heavy tail or being blasted with holy lightning, was nothing to WilyKit but a small annoyance. Groaning her fury the young warrior jumped out of the sharp ice cage and reached for her new sword, which she willed to extend to its full length. Her jump carried her to the monster's back, and she quickly dashed towards its neck, intending to stab it in the throat in order to finish it once and for all.

The Dragolem rose on its hind legs in an attempt to get rid of the female attacking it, but it was of no use, WilyKit continued climbing with her superior speed and agility, reaching the neck in a flash and, with one last grunt of effort, pushed herself all the way to the head of the monster. Sword at the ready, Kit aimed for the Dragolem's open jaws, prepared to deliver the finishing blow. But the stone dragon blocked this by closing its mouth, trapping the sword between its frozen fangs.

"No, damn you!" WilyKit shouted furiously, trying to pull her sword free but to no avail, the Dragolem's bite was so strong that not even she could force its jaws open.

The monster twisted its head violently upwards; catching WilyKit off guard and making her lose her hold in the Dragon Fang. Once again in the air, Kit quickly assessed her situation and hatched a plan she hoped would work. Maneuvering her fall so she landed between the large horns crowning the Dragolem's head, she hastily grabbed a hold of one and knelt atop the monster's head. WilyKit was able to press her back to one horn and her feet to the other and then she pushed with all of her amazing might.

The result was a loud crack as the horn at her feet broke and tumbled unceremoniously to the ground damaging the head of the Dragolem enough for her to start the second part of her plan. The creature, while unable to feel pain, had noticed the damage it had suffered and was now trashing desperately, trying to detach the obnoxious pest that was causing it so much trouble. Kit noticed the creature had dropped her sword, but she didn't dive for it; she was not yet done and she could always retrieve the Dragon Fang once she had defeated the Dragolem. She returned her attention to the results of her work and smiled in sadistic satisfaction. As she had expected, breaking the horn had revealed that the insides of the Dragolem were made of rather small pieces of rock covered by a stony exterior instead of it being made out of large rocks. The young warrior smiled at this discovery, which would make destroying the monster far easier.

Reaching for the edge of the opening she had created in the monster's head, Kit raised her fist and punched the rocks in there with all of her fantastic strength. One, two, three times and after the fourth hit, the creature roared as half its head crumbled under the immensely powerful attacks of the mighty fighter. Made bold by this result, WilyKit grinned viciously and quickly slid so she stood on the now exposed lower jaw of the beast. Kit didn't wait for the Dragolem to try to shake her off, immediately grabbing a firm hold of the inside of the still undamaged half of its head and pushing up with incredible force, effectively detaching it from the rest of the head and revealing the monster's power source, which still shined brightly, resting between three pieces of rock that emulated the creature's esophagus.

"It's the end, you miserable beast!" Kit screamed and, her eyes shining red with fury, she stomped the glowing orb, shattering it into a thousand glimmering pieces which immediately evaporated. Deprived of its power source the huge Dragolem cracked and fell apart, crumbling to the ground with a deafening roar.

WilyKit, for her part, had simply somersaulted from the top of the neck to the ground, landing flawlessly and far away enough from the Dragolem that the rubble falling behind her didn't even touch her. Once the dust had settled she turned to see the monster was now nothing but a pile of frost-covered rocks. Satisfied Kit walked to where her sword had fallen and picked it up with a smile. It had been complicated, but she finally had the means to evenly fight Lion-O and make him pay for humiliating her, and not just him! She would make every Thunderian kneel before her, and kneel they would!

"I-I can't believe this…" a voice stuttered, a voice Kit now knew too well. "You… defeated it! What… what kind of m-monster are you?"

WilyKit turned to her left and saw that, indeed, the pirate ghost had reappeared, and was floating near the fallen golem, staring at the pile of shattered rock in absolute disbelief.

"Nobody had ever even scratched the Dragolem, and you… you destroyed it! With… with your bare hands! It is impossible!"

"Not the result you were hoping for, I imagine?" WilyKit asked, slowly walking towards the specter, stopping when she stood right in front of her. "And you said I would be ripped into pieces."

"I never thought that you could… _ACK_!"

Eyes wide open, unable to believe that she was actually feeling pain, the spectral pirate looked down and found the blade of the Dragon Fang piercing her stomach and much to her horror, she couldn't move away from it.

"I didn't think the Dragon Fang could do something like hurting a ghost," WilyKit announced as she twisted her hand, sending a new flash of pain through the phantom she had silently stabbed with her new sword, more interested in discovering an ability of her weapon than in the suffering she was inflicting. "It's actually quite impressive."

"W-Why are you doing this…?" Soulmate managed to ask between painful breaths.

"Why? Because I can," Kit replied with a sinister smile. "And now, enjoy spending an eternity trapped in ice… lassie."

WilyKit released a wave of power through the blade of the Dragon Fang, which expanded over Soulmate's form, encasing her in a prison of nigh unbreakable ice.

The last thing Soulmate saw before she completely froze and entered a deep sleep was the menacing red glow in the eyes of the terrible young warrior who had killed the Dragolem, and those awful eyes would continue haunting her nightmares until the end of time…

_In Cat's Lair…_

Tygra, carrying a tray with a kettle and two cups, was intercepted by Panthro who had been waiting for him in the hallway. "Lion-O wants the Anti-Magic Field Generator finished before sunrise."

"A request by Wizz-Ra?" the tiger guessed.

"He didn't say," Panthro replied. "I'll need your help to make it in time. You can work a set of circuits while I finish the ones I'm already working on."

"Sure, I'll help you," Tygra promised. "I'll just need to take this to… her."

Panthro nodded, managing to hide the pain he still felt. "Try not to take too long. This is urgent and from what Lion-O said it might be the only defense we have in case of an attack."

"I'll be with you in less than ten minutes."

"Good," saying nothing else, the panther moved to the side to give Tygra room enough to pass and then marched to his room. "Ten minutes, Tygra!"

"Yes, ten minutes… or less!"

When Tygra, his mind now busy with thoughts about the circuitry style Panthro favored, finally entered Cheetara's room, he found her standing by the window, staring out into the night. She had opened the window, and the cool wind played with a few loose strands of her golden hair, the dim light of the room bathing her warmly and making her thoughtful expression clash with the rest of the scene.

"Everything alright?" Tygra asked, truly concerned.

"Panthro set me free," Cheetara said, not really turning to look at the tiger waiting at her door. "He ended our relationship… said that of the three of us, he's the only one who can let go."

"I wasn't expecting he would do that," the tiger admitted as he placed the tray on the night table besides the bed. "How… how do you feel?"

"I honestly don't know," she made her way back to her bed and sat slowly. "I feel really sorry for hurting him but at the same time I… I also feel relieved, for both him and me."

"Do you want to go back to him?" Tygra crouched and placed his hands over hers. "I know he ended what you had because of me, and I don't want to cause him pain."

Cheetara retrieved her hands and then reached up to cup his face with them. "Tygra… I can't go back to him. Do you know why? Because he is right; he can let go of me, but I can't let go of you… I can't let go."

"Cheetara…"

"The thought of losing you… I can't bear it," she confessed. "The moment you let go of my hand and jumped down from the building to fight the Demon Beasts was the moment where I realized that if you die… if you leave me alone… I won't have anything left. My life would be empty without you." (1)

"I feel the same way," Tygra whispered, finally understanding the feeling of dread he had experienced every time he had saved her from certain death. Without her his days would be meaningless. "If I lost you, Cheetara… my life would have no meaning."

"It seems Panthro was right…" the cheetah smiled softly. "We can't let go of each other."

"And I wouldn't have it any other way," the tiger reassured her. "You?"

She shook her head no and closed the space between them. "Of course not," she whispered, her lips nearly touching his. "Because I…"

"…love you," he completed for her as he brought his arms around her. "I love you, Cheetara."

"Not fair," she murmured enjoying the feeling of his strong arms circling her, making her feel safe and protected, just like he always had done. "I wanted to say it before you… but I will be the first to do this."

Without a warning she moved up and kissed him. She kissed him softly, hesitantly at first but little by little gaining confidence as they both found a common ground. She felt him take charge of their kissing, and had no objections, because for Cheetara it was as if she would melt in his warmth embrace, with the taste of him filling her, the soft movements of his lips making her feel that even her soul was being caressed by him as the kiss progressed. When their lips parted, she looked at him with tenderness and offered him a shy smile, which he returned with one of his own. Cheetara tightened her embrace and pressed herself against him, enjoying the way he followed her lead as he hugged her tighter.

"That felt just right," she said in a whisper as she was still catching her breath.

"Yes, it did… and I'm sure this will feel even better," and with this, he kissed her again, earning a moan of pleasure from her as they continued expressing, at long last, the love they had shared in silence for far too long.

In the end it took Tygra more than ten minutes to go to Panthro's workshop.

_Somewhere else…_

WilyKit fell to her knees and cursed at the weakness which had abruptly invaded her. She had started feeling drained halfway through her descent from the top of the mountain, and it had taken almost all she had before she managed to get to where the vortex Mumm-Ra had created was. She blamed it on the massive amounts of damage her body had received as well as the cold. She had not rested after her battle with Lion-O so it was probable that she had finally reached her limit. It was logical, even Mumm-Ra had to rest sometimes so it was not surprising that she would need to do so too.

Forcing her legs to move, Kit managed to stand up and tried to take a step, but all she achieved was to fall again and roll down the stairs. She stopped just a few steps away from the vortex back to the Black Pyramid. She noticed it was smaller now, half the size it had been when she arrived to this cursed water planet. The girl felt fear spread through her as she saw the vortex shrink a little more; if she did not get up and enter it soon, she would end up stranded in Water-O.

"No… I refuse!" she weakly protested, forcing her shaking arms and legs to carry her to the portal. Once there she somehow got back on her feet and stumbled into the vortex.

It all happened in a flash for the warrior maiden, it took her less than a second to go from the frozen mountain to the dark Throne room of her master. The vortex closed behind her and she weakly tried to move forward, only to collapse as the last of her unbelievable strength finally abandoned her.

WilyKit might have fallen prey to despair but she didn't because she was back home and she knew nothing here would dare disturb her or harm her. Taking her time, Mumm-Ra's concubine managed to sit up and reach for the sword that she had tied to her waist. It felt heavier than when she first held it in her hand, a result of her obvious lack of energy, but as she appraised it, Kit noticed the sword seemed to fit better in her hand, as if it actually liked being held by her.

"Good, good," she told the sword. "You better get used to being in my hands, because you're mine now and you will be mine for all eternity."

"I see you were successful, my dear."

The raspy voice of her master made WilyKit feel instantly better, and she looked to her right to find Mumm-Ra standing by the Throne Room's entrance. Her lord was approaching her now, and he changed as he did so, going from his massive warrior form to the smaller, but far more attractive, shape of her lover, the gorgeous man she called Amon-Ra.

"Yes, my master," she then made an effort to raise the small sword, showing it to her king, who was already standing in front of her. "I have the Dragon Fang."

"I expected nothing less from you," Mumm-Ra praised, reaching for the sword as he spoke but not actually taking it. "You have made me proud today, WilyKit."

"I live to serve you," Kit said then, her voice low and tired.

Then, and much to her surprise, WilyKit found herself being lifted by her master, who proceeded to carry her bridal style out of the Throne Room.

"You did well, my beloved," the undead priest told her, enjoying the strong emotion his words sparked in the girl's eyes, for it was an unquestionable confirmation of just how completely she belonged to him now. "It is time for you to rest. You will sleep tonight, and when you wake you'll be replenished and ready to help me conquer this planet again."

"It will be a privilege," she muttered, finally falling asleep in the arms of the man who was, along her twin, the most important person in her life.

Pleased again by her loyalty, and still surprised that she had managed to acquire the Dragon Fang, the warlock carried WilyKit to her chambers. Once there he carefully laid her in her bed and watched her sleep for a couple of minutes, feeling quite pleased at what she had become under his guidance, at how well he had molded her into the willing agent of darkness she now was. The demon priest had taken her from Lion-O and changed her destiny completely. She and her twin were, undoubtedly, two of his greatest triumphs.

The evil wizard returned to her decayed form then and started to leave the room, but a glint on his concubine's torso caught his eye. The Dragon Fang. Feeling curious about it, Mumm-Ra reached for it in order to better appreciate the sword in dormant state. He had learned about this blade eons ago, and had wanted to have it in his possession for centuries now. The fact that only women could wield it had always stopped him, but thanks to the lovely kitten sleeping before him that was no longer a problem and since he absolutely owned the current wielder of the Dragon Fang, then the sword was as good as his, and it would be used to help further his designs. This pleased the mummy as there were few things he enjoyed more than to getting his own way even if it had to be through such a roundabout method as this. Mumm-Ra tightened his grip on the sword then, which caused a reaction he had not expected at all; the sword woke in his hand, and it started sending wave after wave of biting cold into his arm. It didn't take long for his hand and forearm to be covered in a thin layer of ice. Annoyed, the demon priest flexed his arm to break the frost and, quite surprised by how negatively the sword had reacted to him, decided to place the Dragon Fang next to Kit's pillow, which was enough for the sword to cease hostilities.

"You are magnificent," the wizard praised as he ran his fingers through his sleeping beauty's silky scarlet hair, "Only a magnificent woman such as you could have gotten this sword of ice, WilyKit. With you and your brother beside me, I will regain control of this miserable planet, and you both will be standing by my side when the upcoming battle is won."

His promise made the immortal one strode from the room.

_In the desert close to Mumm-Ra's pyramid…_

Lion-O landed the Sky Cutter a little beyond the place where he had rescued Panthro and Tygra and thanked the Thunderian engineer who had installed the inertial dampers on the machine, for those had allowed him to stop instead of sliding over the crystallized ground. The location was as deserted and desolate as the last time he had been here, with the howling of the wind being the only thing which broke the oppressive silence. The wind, however, had carried a considerable amount of sand to this location, and the king realized it would be a matter of a day or two before the sand buried the glass-like ground on which he and Wizz-Ra now stood.

"Well, here we are," Lion-O announced. "Should I try to find any traces of that rift now, or do you need to do something else first?"

"I can't do anything until you find the residue of the portal," Wizz-Ra reminded him. "Please help me with that."

Lion-O nodded and reached for his sword. He brought the hilt up to eye level and prepared to scan the area for anything strange the sword could reveal to him. "Sword of Omens, I command you to give me sight beyond sight!"

The Eye of Thundera did as it was bid, enhancing the young king's vision and allowing him to see a thread of ethereal sparks which Lion-O imagined were the traces of magic floating in the air. It surprised him the Eye of Thundera was able to do this, something it had never done before. Glad that the sword was being this helpful the lion's gaze followed the shiny orbs until he found what looked like a crevice made of light floating in the middle of the air, with small tendrils of energy licking its edges in a way Lion-O found quite unnerving.

"I found it," the king announced, lowering his sword and pointing at where he had just seen that fissure in reality. "It's over there."

Wizz-Ra hurried to where Lion-O was pointing at and extended a hand as he chanted a spell. "You are correct, Lion-O, it is very faint, but I can feel the dimensional rift here."

"Are you going to close it now?"

"Yes, I will."

"Good, I don't want to be here any longer than we have to, Wizz-Ra," Lion-O announced as he dragged the Sky Cutter closer to where the white wizard was working and turned on the vehicle's lights in order to help the wizard better see what he was doing. "This place feels wrong, it's too quiet and there's something here that is making my skin crawl."

"I'll do this as fast as I can," Wizz-Ra promised. "I just need to concentrate and then…"

The wizard's words were cut short by a growl from the Sword of Omens. The warning of incoming danger came too late, however, since before Wizz-Ra could react he was struck by a wave of blue lightning which threw him several steps away. The wizard cried in agony as he struggled to regain his footing after the savage attack, a task which proved worryingly difficult.

"Stop, whoever you are!" Lion-O demanded as he jumped, blade at the ready, in front of the white wizard to offer him protection. The young king had brought his sword up, and used it to halt the barrage of azure electricity; for a moment, the charge increased in its intensity, but it ended almost instantly after that.

"We meet again at last, lord of the Thundercats," a voice mocked. The owner of the voice was talking to them from behind the Sky Cutter's light and only his silhouette could be seen, but despite its still unfamiliar adult deepness Lion-O knew this voice, knew it quite well. But to think it was actually him was impossible!

"Wily… WilyKat?" the young king managed to get out, still not completely recovered from the surprise seeing a dead man in front of him had caused. "I-impossible, you're… you're dead! Mumm-Ra killed you!"

"You shouldn't believe everything you see, Lion-O" WilyKat replied with a cold voice. "I'm better than before, which is something I won't be able to say about you when I'm through with you. I'm sure my master will be pleased if I deliver your broken body to him!"

Something in Kat's hands glowed in the dark then. There was a quick flash of light and a wave of power sliced through the Sky Cutter, exploding it into flaming pieces. Only Lion-O's miraculously quick reflexes allowed him to use the Sword of Omens to block the shockwave generated by the deadly attack.

"You blocked my slash wave," WilyKat lamented as he walked through the flames of the wrecked flying vehicle.

"It really is you…" Lion-O muttered, the fire's light had finally given the young king a good look at his former comrade, who wore similar attire to what Mumm-Ra wore in warrior form except that Kat's clothes were an immaculate white. The lion recalled Jackalman's words about Mumm-Ra having a student and then it all fell into place. "You're Mumm-Ra's apprentice!"

"It could not be any other way," Kat mocked, satisfied by Lion-O's discomfort. "My master saw the potential in me, something you Thundercats could never do!"

"It's…" Lion-O started but his words were interrupted by a new blast of electricity Kat assailed him with. The attack had come faster than the king had anticipated and that, combined with him being distracted by Kat's presence, was all it took for the lighting to stike him hard, sending him flying all the way back to where Wizz-Ra was just starting to get up.

"He took me by surprise," the white wizard admitted as he finally rose. "But that won't happen again. Don't worry, Lion-O, I'll take care of Mumm-Ra's apprentice."

"No, this is a Thundercat matter; I'll deal with it," the king declared. "You came here to close that portal, so go ahead and do it. I'll handle this."

"You'll handle me?" WilyKat, who by then was only a few steps away from Lion-O, mocked. "I doubt it. It is I who will be handling you both. Wizz-Ra will die and you Lion-O, you I will break for what you did to my sister!"

"Your sister…" Lion-O growled and aimed the tip of his sword at Kat. "It was probably you who convinced her to return to Mumm-Ra's side!"

"WilyKit made that choice on her own," Kat corrected with a smirk. "You can't blame her for making the right one."

"You two are Mumm-Ra's slaves now!" Lion-O countered, "How is letting that cursed mummy manipulate you the right choice?"

Much to the lion's suprise, Kat laughed at his last remark. "Manipulate us? Lion-O, I knew you were stupid but not to this extent! You think Mumm-Ra is forcing us? Mumm-Ra rescued us after you and your friends, the other Thundercats, betrayed us! He is the only one who has truly helped us!"

"He's turned your sister into a killer! How is that helping her or you?"

"The lives of the slaves mean nothing to us, Lion-O," the wizard in training declared. "If you were a true king you would understand… And he's not going to close that portal!"

WilyKat jumped at Wizz-Ra, his scythe at the ready, with the intention of cutting the holy wizard in half. Lion-O was ready this time and intercepted Kat in midair with a rising swing of his sword. The maneuver surprised Kat, who was pushed back and barely managed to land on his feet, while Lion-O had no trouble touching ground perfectly just a few steps ahead of Wizz-Ra. Despite his graceful landing, Lion-O felt a little flash of pain shoot up his back, something he made sure to hide.

"How long before you finish what you're doing?" the king asked, never taking his eyes off WilyKat.

"A few more minutes, the rift in reality is wider than I expected," Wizz-Ra informed, pausing the casting of the containing spell for an instant. "Can you buy me that time?"

"I think I can… but I really don't want this fight."

"You shouldn't have started it then!" Kat interjected. Mumm-Ra's apprentice dashed at Lion-O with amazing speed and took another swing at him, which was again blocked by the Thunderian king, who used this opportunity to push Kat away from Wizz-Ra.

"This is madness, WilyKat!" the lion argued as he parried or blocked his former friend's attacks as best as he could, all the time ignoring his protesting back. "Think about the people, do you really want to see them suffer? That's not what the Kat I remember would do!"

"The Kat you remember was a stupid child and he is gone!" Kat shot back as he increased the startling speed with which he swung his weapon. "Do you think I care about those miserable slaves? To me they are nothing but disgusting, expendable things!"

WilyKat was able to slid under his opponent's defense in that instant, and used this chance to deliver a powerful kick to the king's torso, sending him stumble a few steps away, he followed this successful strike with a new swing of his weapon, which the lion was barely able to block by locking the Sword of Omens with his magic scythe.

"You can't be serious about that!" Lion-O grunted then, ignoring the wave of pain going up and down his spine. Though he didn't possess the spectacular physical power of his sister, WilyKat was at the very least as strong as Lion-O was, and the king was finding it quite difficult to use his full strength without hurting himself more and more. "…The ones you call slaves are Thunderians like you, how can you say this?"

"Because they are inferior!" WilyKat responded as he kept pushing forward, trying to untangle his scythe from the king's sword. "Their lives are ours to take as we please! And I have taken so many…"

"So you have killed too," Lion-O, taking advantage of the way Kat had moved his weapon, pushed to the left, using the Sword of Omens as a lever and finally managing to free it.

"Of course I have," WilyKat replied calmly, moving his scythe from left to right as he assessed Lion-O's defense, searching for an opening he could use and wondering why the Thunderian king seemed so hesitant to fight. Curious about the lion's behavior, Kat decided to buy some time by revealing some of the executions he was responsible for. "The first one I killed was Bengali, I'm the one who encased him in crystal; then there are all those rebels I helped capture… and I recently killed a miserable farmer who dared shoot at me. I killed many to harvest their souls and gain control of this fine weapon, and don't forget I am the one who helped Mumm-Ra open the dimensional gate."

"You're worse than a traitor," Lion-O accused with an angry whisper, feeling his rage increase as he listened to WilyKat's evil boasts. "You have become a monster!"

"Does that make you angry?" Kat said with a laugh. "How would you feel if I told you I murdered your dear friend Snarf?"

"Wha… what?" Lion-O felt his body freeze the moment he heard those words; up until then Lion-O had blamed Mumm-Ra for Snarf's death, focusing all the rage such injustice made him feel on the dark wizard. But now, the one responsible for cutting Snarf's life short was standing right in front of him, admitting to his crimes with prideful arrogance. Torn between the rage, the burning need for revenge and the notion that the one responsible of causing him such pain was none other than a former Thundercat, one that he had always thought of and cared for as a younger brother, Lion-O could do nothing but remain still, lost in a sea of turmoil and conflicting emotions.

WilyKat noticed the king's hesitation and did not waste this new opportunity. His main goal still in mind, the young apprentice made a dash around Lion-O and prepared to behead Wizz-Ra before the latter could complete the spell he was casting. It seemed as if WilyKat would be successful; Wizz-Ra, still concentrating on his task, did not see the upcoming attack and Lion-O, distracted by the recent revelation reacted too late; there was no way he could intercept Kat on time.

Mumm-Ra's apprentice was convinced that he had won, he could almost taste victory. He didn't care much about Wizz-Ra closing the portal since he knew opening it was something that could be done again. What he cared about was fulfilling the mission he had received from his master, and that mission was almost complete. He was about to jump and decapitate the white wizard when a powerful blast of energy hit him on the side and sent him flying to the ground. The blast sent him skidding over the glass surface and he was forced to use the blade of his weapon as an anchor to force himself to stop. WilyKat tried to get up, but the energy around him increased in potency and managed to keep him on the ground and it was also making him feel sick. Kat felt his intestines twist and his dark, empowered blood started to boil, burning him from the inside as it ravaged his body.

Using all his strength the young wizard in training managed to look up, and what he saw confirmed his fears. Lion-O was using the Eye of Thundera to keep him restrained, just as the king had done with his sister. He, however, had not imagined the pain would be this unbearable! It was no wonder Kit had resorted to trickery in order to escape it.

"I made the mistake of letting your sister go, but you… you murderer! I'm never letting you go!" Lion-O declared, his voice filled with barely contained rage. "I'm taking you prisoner, WilyKat, and you will stand trial for your crimes!"

"You… are no one to… judge me!" Kat growled. Struggling, the young apprentice slowly got on his knees and brought his scythe up. WilyKat felt as if his stomach and lungs would burst any minute, but he managed to endure it and then, with a scream, Kat focused all his magic on the blade of his weapon, which in turn amplified the magic being fed to it into a shield that not only managed to block the energy the Sword of Omens was attacking Kat with, but to also deflect it to one side.

"How did you do that?" A surprised Lion-O muttered. The king kept his sword still up, not sure what to do about Kat now that the option of incapacitating him appeared to be out of the question.

"You are not the only one with a magic weapon, Lion-O!" WilyKat bragged, dashing forward as he tried to impale his adversary. "This is Mongor's scythe, forged by Mum-Ra and the Ancient Spirits of Evil centuries ago! I've unleashed its true power!"

"Liar, Mongor's scythe was different," Lion-O disputed while blocking Kat's attack and countering with a swing of his sword. "But it doesn't matter how strong you think you are or how powerful your weapon is… you will come with me!"

"You talk as if I have to obey you," Kat replied, jumping back to avoid the lion's blade. The dark apprentice surveyed the field, trying to find a way to turn things in his favor. To his right Wizz-Ra was still focusing on his magic, and attacking him would mean giving his back to Lion-O, which was not an option but… WilyKat noticed something very interesting behind the king: the spilled fuel of the Sky Cutter was still burning. Smiling, Mumm-Ra's disciple realized just what he had to do to win this fight.

"I wouldn't expect a traitor to obey me," Lion-O too focused on protecting Wizz-Ra, replied then, not noticing where Kat was looking. "But I fully expect you to pay for your crimes!"

WilyKat did not answer Lion-O's words; he instead swung at him with his scythe several times, going for both low and high attacks with a ferocity and technique which surpassed what the young king was expecting; surprised by this display of extraordinary skill, the lion was pushed back several steps, towards the still burning remains of the wrecked Sky Cutter. Not being able to look back, Lion-O was distracted when the flames licked his leg, causing him to drop his guard for an instant, which was just what Kat had planned for.

"You will die here!" WilyKat screamed as he took his chance, aiming to deliver a blow to the Thunderian king he was sure would slay the monarch.

Lion-O's eyes opened wide in fear as he realized that he had no time to block or parry the attack, and his hurting back all but ensured he would be too slow to dodge it. The king understood he would have to take the blow and prepared to move in order to minimize the damage; unfortunately, considering how he stood and the angle of Kat's blade, he'd still end up with a very serious injury no matter what he did.

Except Kat's scythe never touched Lion-O. A flash of light sent a wave of energy all around them, dropping Kat like if he had been savagely punched in the face. A strange reaction, since the lion had not experienced any discomfort. The light faded soon, and what the young king saw then was simply Wizz-Ra standing a few steps away.

"What did you do?" the lion asked as he kept his sword aimed at Kat.

"Not me, them," Wizz-Ra replied, gesturing to the four sources of warm light hovering behind him. "The Ancient Spirits of Goodness. It was their power flowing through me just a moment ago, Lion-O. We used it to seal and fortify the barriers between this dimension and the Underworld. Neither Mumm-Ra nor the Demon Lord Tatsoughee will be able to open a portal from here again."

The white wizard looked down at WilyKat and shook his head in defeat. "He's been corrupted beyond redemption by the darkness if this is how he reacts to the power of my masters. A tragedy, since I remember the innocent child he used to be."

The light released by the glowing forms of the Ancient Spirits of Goodness dimmed little by little until it completely vanished, leaving only the lingering fire to illuminate the place. The guardians of good had only come to close the portal and could not interfere any further. All the Spirits could do was to hope for things to end well, with Light and Good prevailing over Darkness and Evil, the same way they had done since the beginning of time.

"Mumm-Ra has completely corrupted him," Lion-O lamented as he pressed a hand to his lower back to rub some of the pain away. "A shame the Spirits of Goodness had to leave so quickly; we could have used some help getting back to the lair."

"The Spirits can't get involved in this more than what they already have, Lion-O," Wizz-Ra answered. "They can't force the light on living beings, they can only guide them and assist them in order to protect it."

"Is that why they didn't help us before?" Lion-O wondered as he contemplated the possibility of using the Sword of Omens to call for help.

"They did what they could," Wizz-Ra said, his eyes still on the tall, whimpering youth on the ground, feeling pity for a child who had fallen so far. "Mumm-Ra and the Spirits of Evil covered Thundera with such a thick veil of darkness my masters could hardly use their power here. What little influence they could send through the darkness, they used it to silently guide the one who took you out of the book."

"Snarf?" the lion looked at Wizz-Ra with overwhelming emotion. "How so?"

"Your friend was pure of heart, he might not have been able to consciously listen to the Spirits of Light, but he did allow them to guide his steps until he found the key he needed to open the Book of Omens and orchrestate your return."

"Why do you know all of this?"

Wizz-Ra smiled softly and placed a hand on Lion-O's shoulder. "Because even from my prison on the Seventh Dimension I was able to see it. Your loyal Snarf was the one light on this world, shinning brightly as he crossed the darkness, never giving up hope for a better tomorrow."

The lion nodded and returned the smile. "Yes, that is what he always wanted… for us to build a better tomorrow."

"…Lord Mumm-Ra won't forgive… this insult!" WilyKat suddenly interrupted. His strength had almost returned in full since the Spirits of Goodness were no longer present, and he was not going to let himself be captured; not with his sister arriving soon and with Calico waiting for him to join her. He had to end this, and he had used the time his two adversaries had spent talking about the stupid Snarf to make a plan he was sure would work perfectly.

"Stop it, Kat, you're in no condition to…!"

Lion-O couldn't finish the sentence, because WilyKat shot a blast of magic at both his adversaries, surprising them both enough for him to manage to get back on his feet and put some distance between them. The young apprentice didn't stop, and shot a blast of yellow energy at Lion-O, accompanied by a quick incantation. The lion was able to block the attack but strangely enough, Kat's spell did not dissipate like Lion-O thought it would. It instead turned into a bright ring of light that circled the king, liquifying the glass under his feet so quickly Lion-O found himself almost immediately inside a pool of liquid crystal from the elbows down.

All it took was for the crystal to solidify in less than a second for the Lord of the Thundercats to understand that WilyKat had not aimed at drowning him, he had meant to trap him! A quick look revealed the king that the Sword of Omens had also fallen into the liquid crystal, and it was now trapped under him deep in the glass!

"It seems you can't interrupt me anymore, Lion-O…" Kat announced as he kicked the incapacitated king in the throat, causing the sovereign to cough uncontrollably "And you won't be calling the sword anytime soon either!"

Mumm-Ra's apprentice turned to face Wizz-Ra then, his eyes shone red as he stared at the white wizard, and aimed his scythe at his target. "I will take your head, Wizz-Ra!"

The holy wizard did not answer and simply summoned his scimitar, taking a few practice swings to prepare for what was to come. "Take it if you can, boy!"

Tired of being attacked by surprise, it was Wizz-Ra who made the first move, with a low swing aimed at the dark apprentice's legs. Kat had no trouble blocking the attack and counteracted by spinning his scythe, bringing down the blade so quickly that Wizz-Ra only managed to block by some unspoken miracle. The white wizard untangled his sword from his opponent's weapon and took a cautious step back before changing strategies and going instead for high blows, all of them aimed at breaking through WilyKat's defense, a feat the ancient sorcerer was finding easier said than done.

"I shouldn't be surprised by his skill," Wizz-Ra realized as he redoubled his efforts. "This kid is a not just a former Thundercat; Mumm-Ra also trained him well and I'm too rusty a fighter to last long unless I do something quickly!"

"You're boring me, old man!" Kat berated after blocking his opponent's last attack, which he then countered by bringing his scythe down fast, effectively breaking through Wizz-Ra's pathetic defense, finally letting the edge of his blade drink the blood of the holy wizard, who could do nothing but recoil in pain, biting his lips to keep a shout of pain contained.

"I admit you're a better fighter than me," Wizz-Ra conceded, his left hand covering the wound on his chest. "Unfortunately for you, I'm a much better wizard than a warrior!"

The holy wizard dropped his blade and unleashed a wave of white power at Kat, who tried to block it by rising up his palm. This proven to be a mistake, as Wizz-Ra's power quickly overwhelmed him and he was pushed back several steps, evenloped in a containing spell that would paralyze him soon. Kat had to grit his teeth as he used all his power to dissipate the magical blast Wizz-Ra was trying to contain him with. Looking up the young apprentice noticed Wizz-Ra didn't seem to be weaker after using such a powerful spell. He was even healing the wound on his chest!

"Cheater," Kat complained. "Fight me without magic!"

"The situation is too dire for me to indulge you," Wizz-Ra said. "I can't let you win this battle, child. But don't worry, I won't kill you. All I need to do is to distract you until Lion-O can escape from the crystal, because I doubt you can fight both of us at the same time."

WilyKat bared his teeth in frustration. The wizard was right; there was no way he could defeat them if they fought him together. He would have to find a way to circumvent that advantage. A glance to his left showed Kat that Lion-O was still coughing, but less violently than before; it was a matter of seconds before the lord of the Thundercats could call for his sword and use it to get free. He also noticed Lion-O was less than five steps away.

"I advice you to give up now, boy. Go back to Mumm-Ra's side and tell him I'm not going to let him do as he desires," Wizz-Ra ordered, hoping the kid would do as he was told.

"The game is not over yet, old man," WilyKat replied. He brought his hand up, releasing a flash of incandescent blue light that blinded Wizz-Ra, who was not expecting such a tactic. Before the holy wizard's eyes recovered, he heard Lion-O screaming in agony.

Forcing his eyes to respond again, Wizz-Ra found a terrible scene before him: WilyKat had stabbed Lion-O. The blade of the dark wizard's scythe had gone through Lion-O's scapula and emerged from his chest. The gaping wound was bleeding abundantly, and it spurted like a fountain when Kat removed the blade of his weapon.

"I guess that instead of telling Mumm-Ra that you defeated me, I'll tell him how you couldn't stop me from killing Lion-O," WilyKat laughed at the fear in Wizz-Ra's face. "And you're insane if you think I'm leaving this spot until Lion-O has bled to death!"

"WilyKat!" It was all the white wizard could do, alarmed, shocked and afraid to see Lion-O die, the ancient mage could do nothing but scream the name of his youthful adversary.

"I see you're angry, old man," Kat laughed again. "Perhaps you can still save him, if you can make me move… but you better hurry, he won't last long."

Wizz-Ra, struggling to keep control and be calm in the face of this horrible development, couldn't help but try to blast Kat away with his magic, but he miscalculated in his haste, and Kat was able to dodge the attack with a well-placed jump, landing right behind of the white wizard thanks to his superb feline agility.

"For someone so old, you really are a fool, Wizz-Ra!" Kat admonished as he swung his arm back, stabbing the wizard from the side, the tip of his weapon going through the sorcerer with amazing ease. Kat tried to pull his weapon back in order to cut the white wizard in two, but he found that he could not move his sycthe at all. Wizz-Ra had grabbed the haft of his weapon and was not letting go of it.

"This is the last time you use this…" Wizz-Ra promised as he unleashed a wave of power which forced the evil apprentice to let go of his weapon. Then the white wizard growled in pain as he proceeded to pull the long blade from his torso.

"My scythe!" Kat yelled. "Give it back, you old bastard!"

"…Never!" Wizz-Ra weakly swore as he used his magic to make the weapon disappear.

"What… what did you do?" WilyKat demanded. "My magic attacks are weaker if I don't have the scythe with me!"

"Teleported… your toy somewhere… far from here," Wizz-Ra explained as he slowly made his way to where Lion-O was. The wizard kept his hands over his open torso and was using his magic to keep his body together, but the wound had been extremely brutal, and the blood loss was weakening him more and more with every step.

Behind him WilyKat kept cursing at him as he continued calling for his scythe with hands stretched out. The boy's obssession with power was keeping him distracted, and that was good for the wizard; let Mumm-Ra's apprentice waste precious time trying to recover the weapon he had just lost while the white wizard did what had to be done.

Wizz-Ra arrived to Lion-O's side and knelt. Struggling with the pain, he reached up and removed the jewel which adorned the front of his helmet, which he then put it in the right hand of the young king. "Lion-O, can you hear me?"

"Wizz… Wizz-Ra," the lion weakly acknowledged. "This is bad…"

"It is, my young friend…" the wizard agreed with a pained voice. "But you will live… I promise you that."

"What is… what is this?" Lion-O asked, noticing the small stone the wizard had placed on his hand.

"Smash it and… rub the powder on your wound… it will heal you," Wizz-Ra explained. "Tell Pumyra… she can do it for you."

"Smash it? I… I don't understand…"

Wizz-Ra realized the Thunderian ruler was about to go into shock, and he could not have that. He needed to get Lion-O out of there and fast. Unfortunately, with his wounds, performing the spells he needed to do that would put him at a terrible disadvantage, but this mattered not. Lion-O was the hope of every Thunderian in the planet, and losing him would mean the end. There was no choice; Lion-O had to live.

The white wizard placed his right hand over the blood-stained ground and focused, ignoring his own pain as he used his power to evaporate the crystal trapping Lion-O and then levitate him out of the hole along with the now inactive Sword of Omens. "This is too… difficult, can't black out… now," Wizz-Ra muttered as he felt his body strongly protested his actions.

"Don't die!" Wizz-Ra ordered to the almost unconscious lion and then, in a flash of light, both the young king and his sword were gone; and just in time, too, for WilyKat had managed to summon his scythe back from the other side of Thundera.

"Wizz-Ra, I will kill you!" Mumm-Ra's apprentice swore while making his way to where the wounded sorcerer knelt. "I'm going to split you in half!"

"Lion-O's going to live… I already… won," Wizz-Ra boasted in a weak voice. "And I still… have some tricks… left, you arrogant kid."

Kat decided that he didn't care and once again brought his scythe down, aiming to finish the white wizard once and for all. But he found his weapon bounced over an invisible force which surrounded the sorcerer. Closer examination revealed Wizz-Ra's golden helmet had slightly changed color, growing brighter than an instant before.

"Using the magic of your helmet to protect yourself," Kat realized. "How clever… but useless in the end. You're still bleeding to death, old man."

"I'm not bleeding anymore," Wizz-Ra corrected his voice steadier now. "We wizards are very difficult to kill, child. I'm still too weak to teleport but… my healing spell is already working and soon I'll be well enough… to depart."

"No, you're not leaving!" Kat shouted, furiously slashing at the force field protecting the wizard but to no avail, his attacks had no effect.

"The shield generated by my helmet will last for days," Wizz-Ra revealed. "I've done it before."

WilyKat, boiling with rage, circled the holy wizard as he tried to find a way to break through the field protecting him. He tried shooting lighting at it but it proved to be useless as the magic shield simply absorbed it. For an instant, the wicked apprentice considered leaving and going back to the Black Pyramid, but he was too prideful to return empty-handed. Desperate, Kat focused all the magic he could into his Scythe and shot a massive blast against the force field, which managed to resist the powerful attack, but…

"It got smaller," WilyKat noticed. Wizz-Ra's shield had absorbed his magic, yes, but it had weakened somehow after doing it. That meant, of course, that a powerful enough blast would pierce it. But Kat did not wish to waste his own energy on repeated attacks; that would weaken his magic and give Wizz-Ra time to heal. He needed something extremely strong and he needed it fast.

And then he remembered.

Smiling evilly, WilyKat started chanting in an ancient language, preparing a spell that he was sure would be the end of the man in front of him. The clouds above him darkened and a strong wind started blowing over the dark prodigy, followed by the deafening crash of thunder high above. The clouds turned red then, and started circling faster and faster until they formed a crimson whirlwind in the sky.

"This is the end, Wizz-Ra," WilyKat swore as he raised his scythe up and prepared to finish the casting of the most powerful of all the unholy spells in his arsenal. "Hear me now, ancient spirits of the night sky! I command you to unleash your crimson light of destruction, give to me the red lightning!"

Loud Thunder was heard as if replying to WilyKat's plea and immediately, a pillar of crimson electricity descended from the heavens and into the Scythe of the young apprentice, supercharging it with electric power which it could barely contain. Struggling for a moment in order to control the massive power of the red lightning, WilyKat managed to point his weapon at the white wizard and then, not saying anything else, he unleashed the electric inferno he had summoned.

Wizz-Ra, unable to move as he still was too weak to do so, could only gaze in amazement at the breathtaking power the young man Mumm-Ra had corrupted had managed to display. He could not help but lament that someone with so much potential and determination had given in so completely to the darkness.

Then, when the red lightning hit his force field and began cracking it, the holy wizard simply smiled for the last time. Though he had fought it with all of his might, the destiny the Ancient Spirits of Goodness had shown him had still come to pass. He had helped them stop Tatsoughee from entering this realm, which was the only reason they had kept him safe in the Seventh Dimension. Now that his mission was complete, the death he had escaped for many millennia had finally come for him. Strangely enough, Wizz-Ra felt no fear; he had been ready to die for so long that this was the final release for him, a most welcome one. No more Seventh Dimension, no more riddles from the Sphinx, no more torture from the evil magicians of the prison dimension. He could finally indulge in sweet, sweet release.

And he could go with the satisfaction that he had stopped a Demon Lord from destroying this realm, and had also saved the life of the one destined to always stand in Mumm-Ra's way.

Wizz-Ra had no regrets.

The lightning hit him with such force that his body simply started to disintegrate and the wizard's last thoughts were not for the Ancient Spirits of Goodness or for the life he had just left. His last thoughts were for a woman.

"Cheetara… please be happy with him."

And with that selfless wish, Wizz-Ra, the greatest servant of the Ancient Spirits of Goodness and a noble protector of justice died at last, finding the peace he had so long hoped for.

_In the Capital City__…_

Pumyra could not be happier. She had finally finished administering the Elixir of Life to each and every wounded Thunderian with excellent results. Dozens of her kin had been saved thanks to Wizz-Ra's potion, and she could not deny the fact that seeing O-Celot back on his feet so quickly was one of the main reasons she felt so pleased. She would have to thank the wizard when he and Lion-O returned from the desert.

The only problem, however, was that she had run out of potion, as she had also taken some herself to heal her arm. She knew Wizz-Ra had asked her to keep at least two spoonfuls of it but since it seemed it would not be necessary she tried not to think about it and the fact that everybody was healthy again helped her forget about that detail right away.

What happened next, however, made her wish that she had not taken any Elixir for herself.

She was in the middle of the medical room along with a now recovered Cheetara when a flash of light stopped them where they stood. The light faded instantly, revealing a bleeding Lion-O standing in front of them. The lion could not stand, though, and fell backwards. He would have hit the ground, but Cheetara caught him in a flash.

"Wizz-Ra, I don't understand… Pumyra… smash this stone?" Lion-O weakly muttered while Cheetara and the puma placed him in a bed. "And rub the… powder in the wound?… Why?"

"He's bleeding so much!" Cheetara said almost in a panic. "What shall we do?"

"I'm working on that!" Pumyra replied, strongly regretting not having followed the wizard's recommendations. "Nurse! Bring me a roll of Sanare fiber, antibiotics and something to sew this wound with! QUICKLY!"

In their panic, none of the women noticed the jewel Lion-O held firmly in his right hand.

_Later, in the Black Pyramid..._

WilyKat, leaning on his scythe, staggered into the Throne Room, where he found his master gazing at the cauldron. He tried to walk up to the front of the room, but his strength abandoned him and he fell to his knees after just four steps. This was humiliating, and all the more so because he could simply not understand why he had started experiencing such weakness so suddenly.

"It seems you have reached your limit, my young apprentice," Mumm-Ra stated as he walked towards WilyKat. The mummy knelt and touched Kat's forehead, nodding when he noticed the boy did not have a fever. "Just like your sister. I, however, hope that you can recover faster, since you're more in tune with the magical energies that power your body now."

"I'm sorry, master… Wizz-Ra closed the portal," WilyKat whispered. "I'll… work hard in order to open it again for you."

Mumm-Ra laughed. "The portal is not important right now, my boy; not with the number of Demon Beasts we have here. Besides, you killed Wizz-Ra! I would say that more than compensates for the portal being closed."

Mumm-Ra, of course, had watched WilyKat's fight with Lion-O and his white counterpart, and was extremely pleased by the fact that Wizz-Ra was finally dead. There were other unexpected benefits as well; the fact the portal was closed guaranteed Tatsoughe would not enter his dimension and that was incredibly convenient, as Mumm-Ra knew quite well he would face complete annihilation if that Demon Lord were to attack him. Still, the demon priest could not help but wonder why the Spirits of Evil never told him about that detail, and quickly reasoned they had been hoping Tatsoughee would destroy him. The traitorous bastards.

"Lion-O is wounded… too," Kat offered, bringing his master back from his thoughts.

"I'm aware of that as well," Mumm-Ra replied. "You have earned your rest, my son. Sleep now, for tomorrow we shall bring Thundera to its knees!"

WilyKat nodded and, his weakness finally defeating him, fell asleep. The mummy raised his hand and four Flesh Puppets entered the Throne Room. The marionettes walked to their master's side and stood still, waiting for his commands.

"Take him to his room and wait for him to awake. Make sure you tend to his needs as best as you can."

"Yes, Lord Mumm-Ra," the four girls said in that monotone voice of theirs. "It shall be done."

The dark wizard walked back to his cauldron and observed the puppets lift his apprentice and carry the boy out of the hall. Alone again the mummy turned his attention back to the bubbling waters, paying close attention to the happenings inside the shelter where Lion-O was being treated by a frantic Pumyra. It seemed no one had yet noticed the magic jewel Wizz-Ra had given his nemesis, a fact Mumm-Ra could not help but be vastly entertained by.

_Outside the Capital City…_

The sun would rise soon and with its coming the protection of the night would was a problem for the woman who rode the Spaceboard ahead of the large army of Demon Beasts as they made their way through the tick forest that surrounded the Capital of New Thundera. She lifted her hand and the monsters stopped where they stood, all of them looking at her, waiting for further commands. Calico, WilyKat's beautiful vampiric lover, turned to both her left and right, amazed at how the Gadruul army had managed to cross the forest without breaking a single twig. Their stealth, as amazing as it was, would be useless under the sun and besides, she could not attack until Mumm-Ra contacted her.

But she had not expected to reach the Capital so quickly. Pondering the situation for a moment, the vampire floated higher so that all the Demon Beasts could see her. "This is as far as we can go. We must wait for the master's orders before we proceed. So bury yourselves, hide under the dirt, the leaves and the roots! Rest, dream and prepare for the next night, for you shall feast on Thunderian blood!"

The Demon Beasts responded with an excited roar that lasted for several seconds and when it died down, the Gadruul did as they had been told with surprising effectiveness. In less than a minute, the entired army had vanished, leaving no trace of their presence. Calico knew she had to find a place to rest as well, and she had to do it soon, for sunlight would weaken her tremendously and she knew her full strength would be needed in the battle to come. Leaving the spaceboard hidden under a large mound of drying leaves, she started looking around until the vampire found a rather large tree with a deep hole in its trunk, a hole big enough for her to fit in and still have room to spare. A nice finding indeed.

But just as she was about to climb into the hollow tree, the faint sound of scared voices caught her ear. With a frown the vampire quickly identified the source of the noise a few trees away from where she was. Intrigued and not wanting to have her location revealed, she pressed herself against the tree and allowed her body to turn into mist. In this ethereal form the huntress had no trouble finding those who had seen her: two teenagers, a male and a female no older than fifteen, who were now busy trying to decide how to escape her.

Calico would have smiled hungrily had she been in a solid form. These kids would be a nice meal for her, and she was starting to feel hungry.

"We need to leave!" the female begged. "It is too dangerous to stay, didn't you see those monsters? They said only the king can kill those things!"

"I'm far more worried about the woman they follow," the young man, a teen from the Lynx clan, replied. Pensive and collected as those of his clan, he quickly made his choice. "I'll go see what that woman was doing by that tree, you go back to the city and tell the Thundercats. I'll follow you as soon as I can."

"Are you stupid?" She disputed. "She's going to kill you!"

"She's right," Calico interrupted, materializing right behing the boy. "I _am_ going to kill you."

Before the young man had time to turn, Calico used her strength and speed to tear his chest open and rip his heart from between his broken ribs, killing her victim instantly. "Now, my dear girl, what should I do about you?"

"P-please don't hurt me," the girl pleaded. "I-I'm sorry… I promise I won't tell the Thundercats!"

Calico finished hanging the boy from the branch and then vanished, simply to reappear behind the girl. "I know you won't tell them, darling. But you will tell me what I want to know. Say, what were you doing here so early?"

"We… we came from the farms… there's a big shelter in t-the capital!" the teenager muttered, her fear making her voice sound strangely high-pitched. "We… we saw you coming and we climbed here… to hide."

"Interesting. Is someone waiting for you over there in the Capital?" Calico inquired.

"No… our parents are in the farm… we are alone."

"Are you being honest?" the vampire asked while smelling the girl's neck. Not detecting any traces of deceit in her smell, Calico smiled and caressed the teenager's hair. "Good girl, you know when to tell the truth."

"Let me go… please."

"I normally would but you see, I am a little hungry," the huntress said, tenderly holding the trembling girl from behind. "I could feed from the two of you, but he'll be enough… you, my dear, I think I'll try to do something different with you. What's your name?"

"C-Caracalis of the… the Lynx clan," the girl muttered, not daring to move as she knew it would mean certain death.

"You look not like a Lynx from the main branch of your clan…" Calico smelled the girl's hair again and then she recognized the scent. "You're from the desert branch, are you not?"

"Yes… my parents…"

Before Caracalis could continue, the vampire followed her instincts and sank her enlongated, even for a Thunderian, fangs on the girl's neck. Calico brought her head back, splitting open an artery and watched calmly as her victim bled. When Caracalis was near death, the vampire bit her own wrist open and offered it to the dying girl.

"Drink, my dear… drink and be mine, be my child," she invited. Calico had to admit this was strange for her but at the same time it felt completely right. It was as if Itzpapalotl, the vampire queen of the night, the one who had made her, was now guiding her.

Caracalis, too afraid to die, did the only thing that made sense to her in that moment. She brought her lips forward and drank the cursed blood flowing from the undead huntress' wound.

_Later__…_

Calico swallowed the last piece of the young man's liver, which she had torn from the now hidden corpse and made her way back inside the hollow tree. Inside Caracalis slept an uneasy sleep, her body trembling as it changed into a creature just like Calico was.

The huntress smiled at this, thinking that her beloved WilyKat would surely appreciate the idea of adding a new member to their little family, for Calico already considered Caracalis as her first daughter and she was starting to warm to the idea of adding more children to her family once the Capital City was destroyed, if WilyKat and lord Mumm-Ra allowed it, of course. And she hoped they did.

Her hunger sated for the day and feeling quite pleased by what she had done, Calico closed her eyes and descended into a deep sleep, confident that the following night she and her love would conquer and bathe in the blood of the slaves hiding in the city on the other side of the forest.

To be continued…

Notes:

First of all, extra thanks to Adam for beta-reading this chapter and for his continued support!

Also, I would like to extend Adam's thanks to constant reader and reviewer Lynn. Lynn, Adam thanks you for your compliments and invites you (and everyone else) to read his own story "The Icarus Reversal", which you can find by copy&pasting the title on the search function.

I can honestly say that The Icarus Reversal is a very well written and narrated tale, it is highly recommended and I'm sure Adam will appreciate if you read it and let him know what you think.

_1.- Cheetara is referencing the events from chapter 8 of this story._


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